Children of the Asgard
by childofspacegypsy1
Summary: The Asgard leave behind a little more then SG-1 bargained for with "all they have and all they know"... there are going to be some unhappy 'parents' at the SGC. Some standard shippiness may ensue possibly D/V, S/J, L/K, C/C and T/I.
1. Discovery

Children of the Asgard

childofspacegypsy1

Synopsis: The Asgard leave behind a little more then SG-1 bargained for with "all they have and all they know"... there are going to be some unhappy 'parents' at the SGC.

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**Chapter One: Discovery**

"Well darling, when I said let's make babies this is not exactly what I was thinking." Vala turned to Daniel with a slightly disturbed look.

"Actually the message was addressed to Jack." Daniel twisted around towards Sam.

"I believe he will wish to see this himself, ColonalCarter." Teal'c looked away from the sight before him to see Sam already rushing back to the DHD.

A strange noise had the rest of the team turning to find Cam staring, mouth opening and closing repetitively." I thought you said the message was Asgard, Jackson." Cam traded the repetitive blinking of his mouth for that of his eyes.

"Yes, yes it was."

Sam returned, standing next to Daniel, "You know there is something familiar about these…um…_babies_?"

The kawoosh of the wormhole had everyone whipping round and raising their weapons simultaneously. Jack stepped through and snatched his sunglasses off as he squinted in their direction. "Ok campers, what seems to be the problem? This was a simple pick-up and delivery. Maybe I should have sent the pizza guy from down the street instead of the infamous SG-1, if I had known it was too much for you guys to handle…"

"Jack."

"Daniel."

"Jack."

"What?"

"Look."

"What are those?"

"Those are yours."

"Yeah, well, what are they?"

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"Well, I'm not 100 percent sure, but from what I can tell they seem to be Asgard...but from earlier in their evolution. Like the one Heimdall had in stasis in the science lab hidden on that deserted planet." Dr. Lam looked around the conference table from one team member to the other. "And each...baby...has a completely unique genetic make up. There seems to be no 'familial' similarities."

"Meaning?" Jack was trying his best to hang on to the direction of Dr. Lam's explanation.

"Meaning, General O'Neill that they are not 'related' in anyway. No siblings, cousins, aunts or uncles among them."

Every head at the table swung to stare directly at her, most with looks of disbelief.

_Jack hit his forehead with a hand, then rubbed his face. There is NO WAY this could get any stranger. But I gotta feeling it's gonna._

Daniel came barreling into the briefing room, "You guys are _**Not**_ gonna believe this."

"Oh, I don't know Danny; I think I might just believe about anything at this point." Jack raised an expectant eyebrow at his flustered friend.

"Well aside from the message left hidden in the Odyssey's database for Jack - there were also instructions left with the ...babies...themselves." Daniel paused, but when everyone just stared blankly at him he continued. "There are ten...babies...paired by twos into five incubators,"

"Yes, Daniel, we know." Jack was fast becoming frustrated and wanted no bombshells dropped before he could let himself relax enough to process what he knew.

Daniel pursed his lips and stared at the ceiling for a heartbeat before continuing as if Jack had never spoken. "The instructions on the tablet left with them explicitly states that each set of two babies is to be raised by a specific member or members of SG-1."

Dead silence met his last words. If Daniel hadn't personally found this so disturbing it would have been funny. Or actually down right hilarious. It was very seldom anyone could wring this kind of shocked horror out of any member of SG-1, but to see the looks on the faces staring right through him you would never guess.

"Um, Daniel...what exactly are you saying here?" Cam had his eyes squeezed shut, as if he could ward off what was coming next by simply not looking.

Daniel looked around at his team members, Teal'c had both eyebrows raised and was staring out the briefing room window, Jack had his head in his hands and was staring a hole in the table, Sam was still staring through him mouth open and eyes wide, Vala was fighting a losing battle to keep the smile on her face...it would fall just in time for her to snatch it back in place...eyes darting anywhere but at him. Landry and Dr. Lam were blinking at him in astonishment.

Frankly Daniel was terrified to have to say what came next. Suddenly he wished he was anywhere but here - about to disclose the next bit of information.

Reading directly from the tablet Daniel stated, "We leave you what we hope to be the beginning of our rebirth as a people. These children of the Asgard have, to the best of our knowledge and the ability of our predecessors, been created at an evolutionary stage that will allow them to grow and reproduce without the need for cloning. Also we have, to the best of our ability, matched each baby to the SG-1 member, and in two cases couples, whom we feel will best compliment the personalities of our children as they grow. As we did not discover these infants and the option they presented until to late, we must give them over to your care as we did the rest of our legacy, which we now hope for you to pass on to them. We left this information in the database with the intention of bringing it to your attention before departing the Odyssey, but in the end did not have time."

Daniel looked up from the tablet to find that every one of the seven other people in the room where staring at him like he had just transformed into the Orici right before their eyes.

End Chapter


	2. Hide and Seek

**Chapter Two: Hide and Seek**

**Childofspacegypsy1**

It had been late when General Landry called a stop to the briefing after giving orders for the next day. Shortly after the briefing ended they all decided to meet up at Jack's for burgers, beer and pizza.

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"So...Daniel, do we each get to name our own babies?" Vala grinned at him over her beer.

Scowling, her Daniel opened his mouth to respond when General Landry cut in, "Vala let's not talk about it right now. I called a stop to that meeting for a reason."

Vala leaned back in her spot on the couch, resting one leg propped over Daniel's knee.

Jack, Landry and Daniel were all watching a hockey game and Cam, Sam, Carolyn and Teal'c were playing Monopoly in the dining room."

Daniel kept looking over at Vala, who sat staring out the side door frowning.

Getting up and reaching for her, Daniel said, "Come on, let's go outside for a minute. I could use the fresh air."

Glaring mutinously at him for a moment, Vala got up and stormed ahead of him out onto the side porch, Daniel followed a few minutes later with two fresh beers.

Handing her one of the beers he sat down on the lounge chair. Vala stared at the beer in her hands for a moment; Daniel had not only opened the bottle, but also zipped it up in her favorite pink Jimmy Buffet cozy. With a deep sigh she walked over and sat between his legs, leaning back against his chest. She held her breath for a moment, making sure he wasn't going to protest before completely relaxing against him.

"Do you not find it odd that people keep 'giving me' babies? I mean, I'm not sure if I should be offended or feel complimented."

Daniel was unsure how to respond to this, he was fairly certain from her tone of voice that she was serious and he was searching his mind for the right way to respond when she spoke again,

"Now we are going to have to decide whether or not to unfreeze nearly a dozen little alien babies. All I can hope is that I don't screw mine up, this didn't turn out so well for me the last time…Daniel quit laughing, you're going to make me spill my beer."

The side door opened and the rest of the party came filing out, led by Jack. "Well kids, what's it gonna be?" All he got were shrugs.

Daniel and Vala were still lounging in their chair. Teal'c and Cam were leaning against the railing, Carolyn and Landry sat in chairs next to Daniel and Vala; Jack sat on the bench propped back in between Sam's legs as she sat on the railing with her feet on the bench.

Landry spoke up first. "I suggest you all go home and get some rest, you have your orders and it's gonna be a busy day tomorrow. Dr. Jackson needs to finish translating that tablet, Colonel Cater will be going through the data from the Odyssey to make sure we haven't missed anything else and Dr. Lam has more tests to run to insure the 'babies' are who we think they are and that we are going to be able to safely bring them out of stasis. The rest of SG-1, plus General O'Neill, will be heading back to the planet to make sure there isn't anything else of interest there. We will meet back for a briefing at 1500 hours tomorrow." Landry stood, getting ready to leave and asked, "Can I offer anyone a ride home?"

"I'll take you up on that ride General. Carolyn, Vala, how 'bout a girls night at my place?" Sam stood and stepped around Jack and down to the deck with minimal assistance in keeping her balance.

Carolyn piped right up with a definite "Yes." She turned to Vala who had already opened her mouth to agree when she felt Daniel squeeze her side, she paused a moment in indecision, but in the end opted for the sure comforts of her girl friends over the iffy chance of keeping this wonderful easiness with Daniel for much longer.

The girls trooped inside to gather their things. Landry turned back to see three disappointed faces watching their progress through the doorway and into the kitchen. "Teal'c you need a ride back to base?"

"No thank you GeneralLandry. O'Neill has offered to let me stay here for the night." Teal'c bowed.

Landry headed to the front door where the girls were standing waving their goodbyes.

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_**Much later that night...**_

"How old do you think they are?" Vala walked down the corridor head cocked to the side, eyes staring off into space.

"Sshhhh!" Sam and Carolyn both threw her warning glances over their shoulders, Vala never saw them.

"I mean, not how old as in years they have been frozen, but like 'aw, how old is he?'..."

"Vala!! Shush!!" Carolyn turned back to peer around a corner before slipping down the next hallway.

With a roll of her eyes Vala stomped off after her two friends. She walked a few paces back, quietly laughing at her companions 'stealthy' progress.

Sam turned to glare at her, "You know sometimes I find it amazing you were such a successful thief. I mean you have been... If you're not quiet you are going to get us all busted!"

Hands on her hips Vala stopped, "Samantha, we are in one of the most secure military facilities on this planet...where upon entering we signed our names, showed our badges to an SF, who I imagine is not going to simply forget that, and are even now being watched through security cameras." She leaned in close and whispered, "I think they know we're here."

As Vala strutted off grinning the other two turned to each other and shrugged before following her in the direction of the infirmary.

"Its not like they sit around and watch the security monitors!" Sam called after her.

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"Did you hear that O'Neill?" Teal'c looked over at Jack with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, is it just me or did that sound like Danny-boy's ring tone?" Jack closed his phone and pressed himself against the wall. He pulled a small tool from his jacket pocket and inched it around the corner and searched the reflection for what he knew was there.

"Darn it Jackson, turn that thing off!" Cam whispered gruffly still trying to calm his racing heart.

Daniel fumbled for a few seconds before finally getting the phone out of his pocket and turned off before he managed to drop it. Cam rolled his eyes and turned to glare at his partner in crime as Daniel retrieved the phone and buried it once again in his BDUs. "Who was it?"

The question was answered with a blank stare.

As Daniel went to pull the phone back out Cam whispered, "Never mind, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Cam pressed himself against the wall and slid forward towards the corner, leaning around to scope out the next hallway, he raised his hand and motioned for Daniel to follow, but when he flicked his eyes to where Daniel had been moments before he had to look twice before cursing and glancing around in search of the missing archeologist.

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Sitting in the security room having dismissed the SF's on duty; Landry was shaking his head and mentally rolling his eyes. _George was right and I just lost twenty bucks._

Just as he picked up the phone to call Hammond, the door to the security room opened and General Hammond walked in.

"Sorry Hank, I just couldn't sit this one out." George Hammond smiled at the screens in front of him. "And you owe me twenty bucks."

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Trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, Daniel, head down and hands in his pockets, walked through the hallways. He nodded to the guards as he stepped out of the elevator and turned off towards the infirmary. He knew Carolyn had them in one of the isolation/observation rooms, he just had to figure out which one.

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From the observation room, she glanced down needing only a moment to see that this was the one she was looking for. Just as she turned to leave and head down into the actual ISO room she saw the door open and someone flick on dim lights. She stepped up to the window and leaned her forehead against the glass and watched as he crouched down to gaze into the first incubator.

Oblivious to his audience, Daniel made his way to each station and studied each baby, each pair of babies, smiling softly at the tiny beings frozen in time. After about ten minutes he had wandered back to the second station where he stood looking down at the pair of infants.

Facing the other occupant, one baby laid on its back, brow furrowed, mouth turned down in a frown and arms appearing to be crossed across its little chest. The other one was lying on its stomach head turned towards its partner, arms curled under its chest, butt in the air, face smiling softly.

Daniel reached out to run his hand along the incubator over the spot where the little bottom pressed upwards, when a voice from behind him made him flinch and snatch his hand away.

"Would you touch my bum if I slept like that?"

Daniel swung around in shock only to come face to face with Vala's mega-watt smile. "Damn it Vala!" He smiled back, "How long have you been there?"

"Not long, darling." She walked around to peek down at the bodies encased in 'ice'.

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Cam was being pursued. He just wasn't sure who it was. Had Landry figured out they were here and sent SF's out to bring them in? Or, was whoever he'd heard behind him, along with Jackson, following him?

Finally thinking it safe, Cam slid out of the storage room and shut the door…and was immediately grabbed from behind.

Jack came around the corner just in time to see Teal'c grab Mitchell by the scruff of the neck, twisting one arm and pressing his face into the wall.

"Well, what do we have here...where's your better half hiding at Colonel?" Jack came up grinning at Cam's face pressed to the wall.

"Lweth meesh gow."

"Alright, set 'im free Teal'c."

Cam snatched away from Teal'c as soon as he was able and straightened his jacket. "I don't know where Jackson is."

"You lost the spacemonkey...on the base..?"

"Yeah, he probably couldn't resist the pull of some artifact in his office." Cam scowled around the hallways as if he could relay his aggravation to the lost archeologist by ESP.

"So, if work wasn't what you were here for…what cha doin'?" Jack stared Cam straight in the eye with his best CO look.

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Sam and Carolyn were baffled, where the heck had Vala gone? They had been nearing the elevators heading down to the infirmary when Vala had stopped them swearing she'd heard Daniel's cell phone ringing. She took off to investigate, leaving her two astonished cohorts waiting in the corridor at 0200.

Carolyn looked at Sam in question, but all Sam could do was shrug. Who knows?

End Chapter


	3. Pointing Fingers

**Chapter 3: Pointing Fingers**

**Childofspacegypsy1**

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"You think Landry came back to the base after dropping the girls off?" Cam was looking this way and that as if he thought the General might appear before him at any moment.

"Nah, his ex-wife is keeping him on a short leash right now and he's following her every order." Smirking as though he thought that was the dumbest thing he had ever heard of, Jack looked over at Teal'c.

"Indeed." The Jaffa cut his eyes over to Jack with a raised brow.

Cam took a deep breath, sighed then stopped in his tracks.

His friends turned to see what the hold up was, waiting for him to either say or do something to explain his actions.

Sniffing the air and looking deep in thought Cam spoke up, "Ya'll smell that?"

"I am unaware of any unusual odor, ColonelMitchell." Teal'c turned to continue down the hall.

"No really, I swear I smell Carter's perfume, like she was just here or something." As Cam stood there, frowning and sniffing the air, he didn't see the look on Jack's face.

"You can smell Carter?" Cam failed to hear the warning note in THE GENERAL'S voice.

"Yeah, you know that light, sweet-smelling stuff. Not too sweet. Like honey suckle or something." Cam was slowly meandering down the hall, sniffing and swerving as he followed the invisible trail.

"So, you make a habit of smelling your teammates, do ya, Colonel Mitchell?"

The hair on Cam's neck rose and he wasn't sure if it was from the tone or the breath of the man standing close behind him.

"Or is it just Carter you have a nose for?"

"Well, no...I mean...all women...No, What I meant was...you know...I can smell Vala too...you just get used to it, after you've been around a woman, or women, for a while..." _Oh God, what am I saying, to The General!!_

Teal'c met Cam's pleading eyes with a blank stare and a raised brow.

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At the sound of approaching footsteps, Sam and Carolyn ducked into a storage room and closed the door.

"You know this is silly, it's not like we don't belong here, like we would be in any trouble if we were caught." Sam couldn't tell who she was trying to convince, herself or Carolyn.

"Yeah, well you don't know my dad very well if you think that." Crossing her arms she leaned back against the door. "Although I am the doctor here, they are my patients. It's only natural I'd want to check up on them."

Sam had her ear pressed to the door and was motioning for Carolyn to be quiet. After a few minutes she turned to stare at Carolyn open mouthed, "It's them."

"Them who?" Carolyn asked confused.

"It's General O'Neill and Mitchell, listen." They both leaned against the door and turned to each other with evil grins.

Just as the girls were plotting their attack, Cam followed the trail of scent left by Sam's perfume to the closed door of the storage room.

Sam, hand on the knob, silently counted to three…

Jack, hand on the knob, silently counted to three…

_Whoosh, smack, thump, thud, grunt._

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"Oh, Daniel, that one looks like you; we should name it Baby Danny."

"We are not naming it Danny anything! Vala, you shouldn't get attached to them; they're not really…ours."

"Well of course they are, silly! You said so yourself. I like this one," Vala pointed placing her finger on the incubator glass over the small bum. "It looks sweet and innocent, like me. We'll call it Baby Val. How's that?"

"Just stop it with the naming! Besides, if we do name them we should stick to the Asgard traditions. They're Asgard, Vala, not…human babies."

"Oh, how terribly disturbing! What would make any species name a baby Thor? Or even worse, Heimdall!" Blinking in disgust, Vala leaned close, her nose nearly touching the incubator. She smiled again. "I wonder if it's a girl?"

Daniel couldn't help smiling at her as she studied the infants with such wonder on her face. "Vala, they probably already have names and don't forget we still don't know who is getting babies or which will go to who."

It took Daniel by surprise when Vala stood up, tears in her eyes. "Daniel they are _babies_, and we are responsible for raising them. You can't do that without becoming attached. Is that what you think? That this is some science project? Do you really believe you can do this without coming to care for the children you will be raising? Come on Daniel, I know you better than that. And are you tying to insinuate that I might not get a pair? I am a member of SG-1 Daniel, unless you are offering to share yours with me? We would make such a cute family! I can see it now, you and me, our 2 alien babies and of course the 3 or 4 of our own." Vala was standing right in front of him, where he had leaned back against the wall, her hands clasped in front of her chest, silly grin on her face. "Can you see it Daniel?"

Daniel stood there, arms folded, a bemused smile on his face as he watched Vala imagining the not so little family in her mind. Just as he reached out to pull her to him the doors to the ISO room swished open and much to his surprise, Jack, Sam, Carolyn, Teal'c and Mitchell came trooping in, in various stages of argument, and stopped cold when they saw the other two already there.

"Well, well, well...Shouldn't be surprised the space pirate managed to evade detection and sneak in here first." Jack rocked back on his heels and silently laughed at the look of affront on Daniels face. Vala just grinned proudly and shrugged.

"Yeah, I told ya Daniel couldn't resist the pull of something...probably followed her scent here or somethin'." DamnDamnDamn and Double Damn. Cam hung his head.

"Humph."

"Cam, you're just pissy because you lost him and he got here first." She smiled.

"Sam, I didn't lose him. He escaped." He winked.

Jack glared surreptitiously at Cam, and then tried to get a whiff of Carter without getting caught. _Cam-Sam, what's that all about...no wonder everyone calls them Carter-Mitchell. And He's not even her CO...they're on equal footing...they could actually...naw, not Carter, he's not her type...is he? Naw, that's just crazy. Well, for cryin' out loud! What the hell is he smelling her for! He knows Vala's smell too? Ha! Everyone knows her smell...predator...specifically Daniel predator. _

Too excited to contain herself, Vala was practically dancing as she pulled Sam and Carolyn over to look at 'her and Daniel's' babies.

Daniel piped up to remind her that they weren't hers and that she didn't get to choose which babies she got.

All three women were cooing and oohing and aahhhing over the babies.

"I just can't wait till we can defrost them so we can hold them." Vala looked to Sam and Carolyn for agreement.

"They're not frozen steaks for cryin' out loud." Rolling his eyes Jack moved to look down at the incubator Teal'c was studying. "Looks like a giant teacup Chihuahua to me."

Sam gave Jack a disgusted look, "No, not steaks...just really ugly dogs!!"

Jack whipped around and nose to nose the verbal assault began.

Cam was laughing as if that was the funniest thing he had ever heard as he pounded Carolyn on the back, sharing his mirth, and she let him have it.

Daniel was mediating between Jack and Sam, and when Jack got good and sarcastic, Daniel informed him he was acting like Vala_, for crying out loud._

Hands on her hips, Vala turned to give Daniel a piece of her mind when the well defined rumble of General Landry clearing his throat interrupted.

"Hank!"

"Sir!"

"Sir."

"Sir."

Silent bow.

"General Landry!"

"And George!"

"Sir!"

"Sir."

"Sir."

Silent bow.

"General Hammond?"

"That's it!! Everyone OUT of my nursery!!" Carolyn jabbed a finger towards the door.

They took the hint and filed out.

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There they sat, no one making eye contact, not one sound to be heard...waiting. Daniel was arranging and re-arranging his power-point notes on the tablet, Sam stared unseeing at the pages of data she had gone through without finding much of anything, Teal'c looked straight ahead, Cam and Jack seemed to be engrossed in the briefing reports on the table. And Vala just looked bored.

Landry stood for a moment looking from Jack to his premier team and schooled his face into a serious frown before turning from his office window and going into the briefing room.

End Chapter


	4. Desperate Measure

**Chapter 4**

**Desperate Measure**

**childofspacegypsy1**

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"So, was there anything else of interest back on the planet?" Landry asked.

"Not a thing General." Vala smiled tightly.

Jack and Cam rolled their eyes and Teal'c, well it was close.

"Colonel Carter?"

"Nothing else I could find in the database, sir. I think we will have to assume everything we need to know will be on the tablet." Six pairs of eyes slid over to where Daniel sat, grimacing.

Before he stood all the way out of his chair, Dr. Lam came rushing in.

"Sorry I'm late, I was waiting on the last of my test results."

As soon as Carolyn was seated, the general motioned for her to go ahead.

"Well, I have confirmed they are Asgard, but without any other Asgard DNA to compare to there is no way to know 'who' they are in relation to any of the Asgard we have known. And I'm not sure that even with DNA to compare to, I would have been able to identify any relationship, considering all the years of cloning by the Asgard. As I said before, the only thing I can confirm to that end is that they are not related to each other."

Looking around the table, Carolyn let that sink in before continuing. "I would guess that was done to better insure success for them to reproduce. They seem to be in good condition, but we won't know for sure until we attempt to bring them out of stasis. I also ran some tests to try and determine how long they have been in stasis, trying to get an idea of when they were cryogenically frozen. They have been in stasis for thousands of years."

"Wow." Exclaimed Sam. "Do you have any idea how old they are…I mean I know you just told us…that's not what I meant…"

Vala interrupted, "What Samantha is trying to say is how old are they in terms of how old were they when they were put in stasis, like days, weeks, months?"

"Oh, well. I don't know much about Asgard physiology, but I would guess they are around three or four months old, however I would say they are not all the exact same age. That may very from weeks to months in difference. Hopefully some of that information will be included in the tablet Dr. Jackson is translating."

Standing, Daniel, who was usually thrilled to have a reason to get in front of any group of people and lecture on all kinds of subjects, took his time gathering his notes and things and making his way up to the front, where he proceeded to fiddle and doodle in preparation for what was to come.

"Daniel!" Jack yelled at the same instant Vala loudly admonished, "Daniel." The two snapped their heads around to glare fiercely at each other; gazes clashing they both missed Daniel's started reaction.

When they turned again to the front, the archeologist seemed to have disappeared. The others in the room sat patiently, unconcerned. Vala crawled up on the table and peered over the edge. "Oh, there you are. Need help?"

A menacing lift of his eyes as he gathered his scattered papers was his only reply.

"Daniel, just get to it. I haven't got all day!" Jack rose just enough from his chair to get a peek of the top of Daniel's head.

Slamming the notes on the table, Daniel suddenly popped up.

Vala found herself staring at his belt buckle. "Hmph." Scooting backwards she managed to deposit herself back into her seat. "Go on."

With a frown, Daniel turned to the screen in front of him, took a deep breath and began. "Apparently the Asgard had run into both male and female fertility problems before they started their cloning, which was actually an attempt to get around the results of their genetic manipulation. Therefore they insisted that there be a failsafe, a back-up plan. These children are that plan." With a click of the remote a new page of alien text appeared. Daniel took another breath and gathered his courage before continuing. "Before cloning the Asgard had been trying to make just a few specific changes to their physical forms, but unfortunately this led to a large portion of the female population being unable to bare children."

Dr. Lam interrupted then, "Are you saying that this is when they became unable to reproduce? That these children may have the same problems?"

"Yes and no." Setting the remote down Daniel turned to look at Dr. Lam. "What happened was that only a small portion of the females were able to carry a fetus to term. The other's bodies were unable to handle the hardships of pregnancy, and the number of females that could were dropping with each generation. These 10 babies are the last that were born with the ability to successfully reproduce."

"Wait a minute Daniel." He turned to look into Vala's pain filled eyes. "Are you saying…I mean…these are _someone's babies_? That these children weren't cloned, but that they actually have…had parents?"

Smiling sadly, Daniel nodded. "Considering that in the last generation only ten of the babies born were confirmed to be able to reproduce, it was decided that for the good of the Asgard as a race that these children be preserved as they were. That in case the cloning couldn't be made to work, that hopefully without the chance of them reproducing with an Asgard that had the defect, these babies and their children could be free of it. As to why the letter from Thor said they had been created, I can only guess that they just didn't have time to go through all the information and for some reason assumed that the children were 'created'."

Picking up the remote again Daniel turned back to the screen and switched to a new page.

"That sums up the fist part of the tablet. Basically, just giving us the back ground on what was happening that would lead them to put these children in stasis. You also have to understand that this information was left for Asgard, when they put the babies in stasis and wrote this tablet, they never imagined it coming to us, or anyone except future Asgard for that matter. I have had to turn to Dr. Lam and Sam a number of times, trying to wade through the technology and medical basis of a lot of this. It's going to take some time before I can have it translated in its entirety."

In the silence that followed, Landry looked around at the faces of the people sitting before him. The boisterous levity of the night before had vanished, strangled out of each of them by the weighty and sobering truth of the fate of an entire race, and that of the ten babies laying five floors above them.

_But they would recover, they would go on. It was what they did._

End Chapter


	5. And All Mitchell Wanted Was Ray Guns

Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**And All Mitchell Wanted Was Ray Guns**

**Childofspacegypsy1**

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General Landry watched as the subdued group filed out of the briefing room. They had spent the last three hours going over what information they had and deciding on a time for their briefing the next day, as Daniel needed more time to work on the last of the tablet and he himself had a call to the President scheduled for the next hour.

He also needed to get in touch with George and see if he had gotten a hold of Woolsey.

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"_You'll have to forgive me, Mr. Woolsey, but I just don't give a damn."_

General Hammond's voice carried down the stairwell into the control room and down the hall leading to the briefing room.

Glancing wide eyed over to Jack, Vala asked, "Who's General Hammond anyway?"

Grinning, Jack replied, "George was the CO here on base when the program first started. Back when I was in charge of SG-1."

Vala cut her eyes back at Jack with a sly grin, "I can tell by that smile there are some good stories there, care to share?"

"Tell you what, ask me later." He winked at Vala and leaned back against the wall where they both waited for the others to arrive.

_"General Hammond, must I remind you..."_

_"You are the one who doesn't understand Mr. Woolsey. This is not up for discussion."_

Wandering towards them, head buried in his papers, Daniel suddenly stopped, looking up to find Jack and Vala standing near the briefing room door; he arched a brow in question.

'Woolsey' Jack mouthed in reply.

Grinning brightly, Vala informed Daniel, "Yes and Jack here has been kind enough to tell me who General Hammond is...and he promised to fill me in on lots of juicy gossip about 'those days'!"

Daniel visibly paled at the thought of Vala and Jack buddying up over a good dose of gossip.

_"Now wait just one minute, I..."_

_"NO. You listen to me. Bottom line is, the president agrees with me. These babies are NOT property. They are not prisoners or gifts or anything else. They are refugees. Entrusted to us by the same people who gave us all the technology presently making our exploration and military endeavors as expedient and advanced as they are."_

Frowning in confusion, Sam stood behind Cam, who was stopped halfway up the stairway between the control room and the briefing room. After a few moments Sam cleared her throat loudly, causing Cam to stagger forward and fall onto the next step. He rolled onto his back and stared at her for a moment before meeting her puzzled look. With a big smile and one finger pressed to his lips he pointed up. "Sshhh."

Leaning forward Sam listened intently and soon heard what had Cam eavesdropping in the stairway.

"…_we are to be informed…"_

"_Being informed is one thing, but barging in here like you run this place is another, and frankly Mr. Woolsey this has nothing to do with you. You have no jurisdiction here. You have no claim to these Asgard children…"_

"_General Hammond, the IOA…"_

"_The IOA be damned! Listen here, Mr. Woolsey, you have been informed as is required. But that is where your part in this ends. Technology and possible threats are the only things we are required to share with you. These children are none of your concern."_

Just as General Landry was about to step in and end the argument the door to the briefing room opened and in walked General Jack O'Neill, Miss Vala Mal Doran and Dr. Daniel Jackson. Across the room they could hear someone coming up the stairs from the control room. Someone turned out to be Colonel Samantha Cater and Colonel Cameron Mitchell.

When Woolsey open his mouth to object, General Landry interrupted him, "Mr. Woolsey, you know where the door is, I hope you can see yourself out."

Woolsey turned to go out the door, only to find his way blocked.

"Excuse me… I need to…do you mind…please!!" Breaking free of the three solid bodies in his path, he whipped his head around, astounded, to witness the three matching blank stares of General O'Neill, Vala Mal Doran and Daniel Jackson.

_I __**swear**__ someone just grabbed my…butt._

xxxxxxxxxx

"Way to go George!" Jack smirked cockily.

Hammond chuckled, "Thanks Jack."

Everyone moved around, taking their seats at the table; Jack, Sam and Cam sat with their backs to the window with Teal'c, Daniel and Vala facing them.

There exists, between Daniel and Jack, a language. This language consists of only two words -_Jack? _and _Daniel?-_ and a plethora of tones of voice, nods, twitches, tics, tugs and such. A language as elemental and simplistic as primitive man. Sam was watching this very language being 'spoken' across the briefing room table. And as always, had no idea what was being communicated.

Jack, mouth tight, nodded infinitesimally towards Vala. '_Ok, go ahead. Tell me._'

A few slow blinks of '_Now!?_' from Daniel got an exaggerated roll of Jack's eyes, then with a tic of his head, again in Vala's direction, Jack flicked his gaze to and away from her.

Vala was staring ahead, totally unaware of the exchange.

A glaze of trepidation dulled the blue of Daniel's eyes as he inched quietly closer to the woman he both feared and admired, and sniffed. Pinched face, '_Nothing_.'

Jack shifted in his chair, '_Get closer_.'

Daniel leaned, sniffed. Shrugged, '_Nope._'

As Sam watched, her skin prickled with foreboding. These little 'Jack and Daniel' conversations almost always promised something unpleasant for herself and/or Vala.

Standing, Daniel made his way to the front of the room where Landry and Hammond were finishing their conversation. As Hammond went to leave Daniel spoke, "Uh, General Hammond, you might want to stick around for this part."

"No thank you Dr. Jackson. I've got to get back to Washington. Paper work waits for no one…except maybe Jack." replied Hammond.

"Uh, Sir, you really need to stay." Daniel seemed uncomfortably serious.

"Alright son, what's this about?" Hammond took the seat between Vala and General Landry.

Dr. Lam rushed in and took an empty seat just as Daniel started his presentation.

Clearing his throat, Daniel began, "I'll get to that in a minute. First, I finished translating all the medical references. Everything on the stasis pods and all the general medical information contained in the tablet are here." Daniel passed a booklet down to where Dr. Lam waited.

Picking up the top secret folder, Carolyn nervously began to scan the pages. After a few moments she began to smile and nod. "Yes, I believe with a little help from Sam, I can go over all these specs and possibly be ready to begin bringing the babies out of stasis as early as tomorrow or the next day."

Emotions ranging from joy and excitement to downright fear and uncertainty ran across every face at the table.

"Ok, well the next part is where it starts to get sticky." Daniel was interrupted by Vala's loud snort.

"Daniel darling, when precisely has this been anything _but_ sticky?" She asked incredulous.

Daniel took a deep breath, held it and expelled it loudly. "Ok, let me rephrase that…this is where it gets _stickier_. The Asgard that left the children expected that their future race would be the ones raising them so they didn't leave a lot in the way of instructions, most of their part of the text is…personal…but we will get to that. For the short amount of time they had, the Asgard left behind very specific instructions for the care of the babies. Thor, because he knew most of us best, was responsible for specifying which babies were best with which members of the SGC based on what was left by the parents of the babies. But he also left other instructions, in Thor's opinion we should, for the most part, disregard the instructions left by his people." Pausing again for breath, Daniel was interrupted…again.

This time by Jack. "What exactly does 'for the most part' mean?"

"Well, he disagreed with leaving us such specific instructions for a number of reasons." replied Daniel.

"And what were those reasons, Dr. Jackson?" questioned General Landry.

"He believed that for us to take on the responsibility of these children was enough to ask of us, with out adding the strain of following strict Asgard rules concerning their upbringing, he felt that if they could trust us with everything they already had that we could be trusted with this as well. He also believed that there's the possibility of the children simply following in their ancestors footsteps and repeating history if raised so strictly in their image." Daniel studied his notes, as if to be sure.

Sam smiled and spoke, "So basically he thought they needed someone dumber than themselves for the job?"

Laughing, Daniel answered, "Yeah, something like that."

After a few minutes of silence General Landry prompted Daniel to begin again, "Dr. Jackson, I assume there is more?"

With a slight grimace, Daniel picked up a stack of six booklets, similar to the one he'd given Dr. Lam. He walked around the table, going back and forth and around, even leaning across to place the notebooks where he wanted them.

Reading the cover of each booklet to be sure of the right spot to place it, Daniel made his way around the table. "I've compiled all of the information intended for the 'parents' chosen by Thor and printed out these booklets so that each family will have a copy of any information they may need with them. I put the Asgard names of the children along with those of their chosen parents on the front."

Down to the last notebook Daniel stood between Vala and General Hammond. Looking down he knew where the two believe the notebook was going. The look of abject horror on Hammond's face almost made him laugh, but the look of abject disappointment on Vala's made laughing impossible.

_Oh well. _He thought. _At least she was about to become deliriously happy. Though, I may want to throw myself into the kawoosh of an in-coming wormhole._

When Daniel went back to the front of the room and started to switch on the power-point once again, Jack spoke suddenly into the silence, "Uh, Daniel. I think you forgot mine. I mean they did leave the first message for me…" he was interrupted by the quiet clearing of a throat on his right.

"Sir, yours is here." Sam pointed to the booklet in front of her.

"Well, then why do you have it?" Jack reached to pull it from her.

Hand firmly holding the booklet in place Sam replied, "Because, _Sir_, it has my name on it too."

Jack stared at her for a moment before looking down to read the cover. "Ah. Please continue Daniel"

Daniel sat back down in his chair and clicked on the display screen. Silence from the rest of the table's occupants followed, so he continued, "As you can see I used my own booklet as an example, so I can go over a few things with you and get you acquainted with how the information is laid out." Daniel leaned back so that he could quietly ask Vala, "I hope you don't mind?"

Vala sniffed, "Why should I care Daniel? I'm not the Power-Point-Police or anything."

Confused by her surly response, Daniel turned to look at her and suddenly understanding dawned, _she hadn't looked at the screen yet._

"Vala, please look at the screen." Daniel wasn't sure if it was nervousness or excitement causing his stomach to shiver.

"Really Daniel, as wonderful as I'm sure your little lecture and presentation is going to be I really…OH." Vala's eyes widened. As did the grin that was just forming.

On the screen at the front of the room, illuminated and enlarged was the front cover of one of the notebooks. It read…

**Nótt ****and Dagr**

**Dr. Daniel Jackson **

**and**

**Vala Mal Doran**

End Chapter


	6. The Young Raising the Old

**Chapter 6**

**The Young Raising the Old**

**childofspacegypsy1**

xxxxxxxxxx

"Daniel, what's a Nótt? And a Dagr?"

"Those are the babies names, Vala."

"Oh, well, that's disapointing."

"Vala!"

"Which ones are they?"

"Vala!!...If you'll turn to the first page in your manuals, we can begin." With a click from the remote, Daniel brought up his copy of the next page.

"On this page I gave Thor's explanation for choosing you as parents, and I also put in the part of the tablet written by the parents of the babies before they were put in stasis." Daniel looked at Vala who was staring at the screen intently. Continuing, "I suggest we come back to this page after we've gone through the rest."

"Hey, Jackson. How come you and Jack get a lady friend to help out?"

"That should be explained in the note from Thor. It was his decision."

"Huh."

"Ok, moving on. The second page is a glossary that will make finding specific information easier." Watching as everyone flipped to the second page, Daniel clicked the remote to highlight the first entry.

"First, there is an introduction to the Asgard, a basic history and such - those can be found on pages three and four." This was followed by the sounds of multiple pages turning.

With another click he highlighted the next line. "Chapter one is an explanation of basic Asgard physiology at the stage the babies were born. Things like, how and what they eat and other physiological needs. That chapter is pages five through thirty."

More page flipping and paper shuffling could be heard above some softly spoken scuffle coming from Sam and Jack's direction.

The routine continued for another twelve chapters. Daniel went through every single chapter which was accompanied by pages turning, scuffles ensuing and mumbled protests.

Eventually Daniel realized there was no more page turning, no more scuffling...but maybe a soft snoring? He turned to observe the bodies sitting around the table, wondering when exactly he had lost them. Vala's eyes were glazed, Sam and Jack were down to simply glaring at each other from the corner of their eyes. Teal'c sat unblinking, looking suspiciously like deep Kel' no' reem. Cam was face down on the table, a shiny puddle around his mouth, Lam was hiding her medical notebook inside the manual, and Landry and Hammond were both wearing their best interested faces...but their eyes were blank.

Wondering what exactly he could do to bring their attention back to him, Daniel must have stood thinking quietly for too long. Sounds of throats clearing and bodies shifting in their chairs soon filled the room. Smiling patronizingly, Daniel waited until everyone was looking at him again before continuing, "Now that everyone has a basic idea of what is in the manuals, and where to find it, maybe now would be a good time for everyone to take a few minutes and go back to read the personal section on the first page."

After turning on the lights and getting his and Vala's manual, Daniel went back to his chair.

When Daniel handed the manual to her as he sat, Vala scooted over to be sure Daniel would be able to read along side her.

Daniel smiled his thanks, but reminded her, "I already read it. I translated all these."

"Oh, right." Vala turned her attention to the manual, wondering why Daniel had sounded so...tired and saddened by that. He loved to translate.

Then she began to read:

_I find myself faced with a decision, a choice to be made. But there is not much choice involved. As a parent, I have often worried over things that could go wrong. Things that might happen, worse case scenarios. But never this._

_My daughter, __Nótt__, is two months, three weeks, five days and eight hours old. Her father is gone, having died from disabilities caused by our genetic manipulations. We now know that __Nótt__ will be the last healthy child born to our people. Possibly the last child ever naturally conceived and born. A blessing or a curse?_

_Myself, along with the parents of nine other healthy children, have been asked to make this sacrifice in hopes of preserving a healthy foundation should our cloning not be successful in the long term. _

_If you are reading this, then my choice has been made and our fate has run its course._

_For me, this choice was not made for the greater benefit of my people, but for __Nótt__. I hope that you do not think unkindly of me, but I leave her to you now with the hope that she may grow strong and happy, free of this fate that now haunts the Asgard._

Eyes closed Vala felt the tears as they slid unheeded down her face to plop onto the blurred page of the manual. Looking over at Daniel, Vala realized just what he had meant earlier. He already knew what was printed there. He had translated it himself...along with the nine other letters, left behind by grieving parents. Reaching out to take his hand, she intertwined their fingers and squeezed. He didn't look up, just squeezed back. A soft sniffle had them both looking across the table to where Jack had Sam wrapped in a half-hug, her head resting against his shoulder.

A turn of Vala's head brought Cam into view, where he sat staring at the manual before him, a questionable shine to his eyes. Dr. Lam had a hand clamped to his forearm, her face pressed against his shoulder, tears wetting the blue of Cam's BDU shirt as she read the manual in his hands.

General Landry brows were furrowed, eyes downcast.

General Hammond's head was slowly shaking, his face drawn and sad.

Teal'c had his head bowed, his face cast in shadow.

Unable to read anymore, Vala closed her manual and leaned her head on the back of her chair. Rolling her head to the side she met Daniel's eyes as he sat watching her, smiling tenderly he reached up with their intertwined hands and softly wiped a tear from her face with his thumb.

End Chapter


	7. Candy Bars and Cigars

**Chapter 7**

**Candy Bars and Cigars**

**childofspacegypsy1**

xxxxxxxxxx

They stood in the observation room, watching as Dr. Lam ushered Sam, who had just finished going over some of the equipment in a last minute check, out of the nursery and turned to the two nurses helping her prepare for bringing the babies out of stasis.

A few minutes later Sam rushed in and walked over to where they all stood looking down on the room. "I had to rig a Naquadah reactor to the power conduits to make sure that there aren't any fluctuations in the power while the pods are brought out of stasis. It should take about 30 minutes for them to be completely…thawed."

"Will...will they feel anything...won't they be cold?" When the rest of the room's occupants turned to see who had spoken they were stunned to realize that the small, quiet voice had come from Vala.

"I doubt it. Dr. Lam is adding a sedative through the tube provided for thermatic infusions, which is needed to help their tissues recover properly. She will keep them asleep until she is sure they are stable and in good condition."

"Where are Daniel and Cam?" Sam looked around for the missing 'dads'.

"ColonelMitchell and DanielJackson have gone to bring refreshments." Teal'c smiled at Vala.

"Yes, they are bringing coffee and sodas. And chocolate." Vala grinned back at Teal'c.

Just then Daniel and Mitchell came in carrying a variety of coffee cups and soda cans.

Vala rushed over rubbing her hands together in anticipation. Grinning excitedly, shoulders pulled to her ears Vala took a few items from Daniel and helped to pass them along. Turning back to find him empty handed except for two cups of coffee, Vala frowned in confusion.

"Daniel…darling, where is the chocolate?"

Staring blankly, Daniel stammered, "Ch…choc…what chocolate?"

Eyes narrowed, she considered Daniel. She wasn't buying it. She began to circle Daniel. Suddenly, she began to search every possible pocket or likely hiding place on Daniels person. A few particular grabs nearly causing him to spill the scalding coffee.

After completing her search and coming up empty, Vala stood staring at Daniel in amazement. Utter shock and dumbfounded bewilderment. _He had forgotten her chocolate!? _

She wasn't exactly sure what came to her first, the sound or the smell. But the next thing Vala knew she was whirling around to find Jack, Sam, Teal'c and Cam stuffing large bites of Snickers in their mouths. She opened her mouth, intending to let out a shriek and curse them with every Goa'uld expletive she knew, but all that came out was a strangled shriek and a sputtering of syllables before the laughter took control of her body. There before her, in various states of biting or chewing, each of her friends had flecks of chocolate and strings of caramel dangling from there outrageously puffed out faces.

She turned back to Daniel to find him smiling around his own bite of candy. She stepped over and swiped his from his hand and bit decisively into it, before strutting over to plop down in one of the chairs.

Daniel was glad he had been able to bring back some of the color to Vala's face. It was disconcerting to see those usually bright grey eyes so dull and subdued.

xxxxxxxxxx

_In the Nursery_

Carolyn Lam walked to each station, checking each pod. Making sure all the lines were connected, all the tubes were clear and everything was ready. Not a word was spoken between herself and the two nurses assisting her.

She had spent most of yesterday afternoon and last night on the phone with every expert the field of cryogenics had to offer, and then she had spent most of this morning going over the specs for all the equipment that had been rigged up and attached to the pods with Sam.

And still she felt more unprepared for this that she had for anything in her entire life. With a deep breath and a nod to her nurses, Carolyn clicked the button turning on the machines.

The screens on the monitors slowly came to life with blinking numbers and moving lines.

xxxxxxxxxx

They sat in silence for a while, eating their candy and sipping their coffee and soda. The silence was becoming oppressive. Vala squirmed and huffed and sighed. Jack, Sam and Cam were all trying to pace, but not very successfully in the small room; thankfully it was a rarely used room, with nothing but the intercom and a few old chairs. Polite "excuse me's" turned into fierce glares and passing sidesteps became slight shoves and elbow bumps. Daniel was standing stationary in the far corner, where he could look down into the nursery. Teal'c stood against the back wall, quiet and serene, clutching a wooden box of 'ceremonial' cigars.

Finishing his Snickers and wiping his mouth, Cam sat near Vala and cocked his head to look over at Daniel, "So Jackson, I saw you and Vala got a boy and a girl. That's what I got too."

Swinging his eyes from the room below over to Cam, Daniel responded. "That's what everyone got. Except General Landry and General Hammond. They each only got one."

"Oh, well that's cool." At a loss for what to say next, Cam fell silent again.

After a short pause Sam spoke up, "Daniel, in the manual we got the names and sexes of the babies, but aren't the Asgard names generally that of Norse Gods and Goddesses?"

"Yeah, I think all of these names are. What names were yours?" Daniel sat down, already mentally accessing the information.

"Frick and Frack." Jack supplied before Sam had a chance to respond.

"Frigg and Frey." Sam stated, ignoring that Jack had even spoken.

"Frigg was the Norse Goddess of marriage and motherhood. And Frey was the God of masculine virility." Daniel recited from memory.

"How do you know that stuff, right off the top of your head?" queried Jack.

Laughing lightly, Daniel admitted, "I don't. I looked up all the names while I was translating that part of the tablet."

"Really," Vala leaned forward in her chair. "What about ours?"

"Nótt, Goddess of night and Dagr, God of daytime."

"Ullr and Urd?" Came Teal'c's softly spoken question.

"My brother Daryl and my other brother Daryl?" Whispered Jack, barely containing his humor.

He was rewarded with a skillfully aimed elbow to a kidney.

"Ullr, God of skill, hunt and duel and Urd was one of three Goddesses of Fate."

Recovering his ability to speak, Jack asked, "Who did Hank and George get?"

"Um, I believe General Landry's was named for Vör, Goddess of wisdom and General Hammond's was Týr, God of war and justice."

"Mine are Eir and Höðr," Cam announced proudly.

"WHORE!?" Everyone turned in shock to stare at Sam, who had her hand clamped over her mouth. Eyes as wide as they would go.

Clearing his throat Daniel continued, "Well Höðr was known as the Norse God of winter and Eir was a demi-goddess. Goddess of healing, known to have a secret knowledge of herbs with which she could resurrect the dead."

Cam frowned, "Demi-goddess?"

"Yes, yes. We all understand. Not everyone can be a _God_, Cameron. Surely you understand?" Smiling sweetly, Vala primped her hair and eyed Cam over the tip of her nose.

Before Cam had a chance to reply a blaring alarm had them all rushing to the window, most of them not stopping in time to avoid smacking into it like bugs on a windshield. The loud sound echoed around the now silent nursery causing both nurses to jump and whip around to stare up at the faces pressed against the window. Dr. Lam simply shook her head as she leaned over one of the incubators, syringe in hand.

"Is that the baby with the bum!? Daniel is it!? Is IT!?" Vala screeched hysterically.

Daniel knew at any moment she was going to separate his arm from its socket and begin bashing him over the head with it.

End Chapter


	8. Birthday

**Chapter 8**

**Birthday**

**Childofspacegypsy1**

xxxxxxxxxx

With a deep sigh, Carolyn leaned against the wall and smiled at her nurses. It was over, for now. They were all three whipped. Tired and emotionally drained, they stood with tears in their eyes, as if they were afraid to move. Or maybe they were just too tired.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the comforting sounds of steady beeping and clicking, and the muffled cheering coming from the observation room above.

xxxxxxxxxx

The rowdy group stalked through the halls of the SGC, heading for the briefing room and General Landry's office, Carolyn having refused to allow them in the nursery for the time being.

Sam and Vala were doing their best to help each other wipe away all the tear stains and running mascara, but every time they would just about have their faces cleared, they would erupt into another bout of squealing and hugging…and tears. The boys were walking as far behind them as they could and still be with the group.

Cam was also being avoided, as he had a tendency to grab whoever got to close and either squeezed them in a painful headlock or pounded them unmercifully on the back shouting, "Yeah, man!"

"So T, what 'cha got in the box?" Jack had been eyeing the object since Teal'c had appeared with it in the observation room.

"Celebratory cigars, O'Neill."

"Sweet."

xxxxxxxxxx

As soon as the two Generals heard the group coming down the hall, they began hastily clearing Landry's desk.

The excited and happy chatter preceded their chaotic entrance. Through the chaos Jack came into the doorway of Landry's office as the General slammed shut his desk drawer. The clink of glass was unmistakable.

"I assume you have talked to Dr. Lam?" Jack asked as he walked into the office and started perusing the knick-knacks and pictures behind Landry's desk.

Hank Landry watched as Hammond slipped past Jack and into the briefing room to join the others. "Yeah, good news. How were things down in the observation room?"

"Oh, you know. Pacing and arguing and crying and hugging." Jack fingered the half-empty bottle of whiskey sitting next to a picture of Dr. Lam as a teenager. "You and George should have joined us. Must have been lonely up here."

Ignoring the knowing grin on Jack's face Landry got up to walk out of his office and into the briefing room. "Nah, been there and done that Jack. Paid my dues in waiting rooms years ago."

As General Landry entered the briefing room, everyone settled down and found their seats. Waiting for Carolyn to come up from the nursery they were all quietly talking amongst them selves.

General Hammond sat back and watched as his old team interacted with its new additions. The usually straight laced and cautious Dr. Jackson laughed and joked with the 'fruitcake' he obviously admired and cared for. The always prosaic and serious Teal'c was trading childhood tales with Cameron Mitchell.

And then there were Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter. Watching them for once he saw no sign of the General and the Colonel, just Jack and Sam. The earlier aggravation seemed to have given way to excitement and cheerfulness. There was an easiness about them that had never been there before. They had never quit been able to get past being CO and 2IC. They had now, and it looked good on them. Just as he looked away, George caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Glancing back, it looked like Jack was leaning close, _sniffing?_ Samantha? What the hell?

Rushing in, late…again, Carolyn frowned at the room full of people, waiting for her. "Don't you all have work to do? Other than sitting around waiting for me? You know, saving the world or something?"

"Aw, come on Doc, you couldn't ask for a more interested or willing audience." Cam grinned up at the doctor as she went to sit in the chair next to his.

"Yeah, regular scholars." Scoffed Daniel, he raised his eyes to find himself on the receiving end of some rather unfriendly looks.

"Carolyn, I must know…was that my bum baby that had trouble back there?" Vala appeared ready to cry.

Carolyn was lost. "BUM baby…what's a BUM baby?"

"I think Vala is referring to the baby in the second pod, the one laying on its stomach, with its little bottom in the air." Daniel was making a picture with his hands, which were shaking with nerves.

"Oh," unsure how to respond to that, Carolyn assumed they were talking about the same baby. "I think so; according to the translation sheet Dr. Jackson gave me I believe the 'bum' baby is Nott."

"_**WHAT!?"**_ Daniel shouted and Vala screeched.

Blinking at them Carolyn looked down at the notes she had added to the manual, "Yes. Pod four, according to the translation, holds Nott and Dagr."

"No." Vala cried softly.

"Yes." Carolyn re-affirmed.

Vala was shaking her head as Daniel spoke, "We were talking about the baby in the second pod."

Carolyn sighed and clarified, "Yes, the pod in the second station in the ISO room is pod number four. As we didn't know how to translate the Asgard markings on the pods at the time they were put in the ISO room, they went in randomly."

"Oh." Was all that Vala could manage.

Daniel looked over at Vala for a moment, unsure whether to comfort her or ask the question burning in his chest. He decided to ask the question both he and Vala needed to have answered, "Is she ok?"

Seeming uncomfortable, Carolyn answered, "For now." Seeing the distress on the faces of not only Daniel and Vala, but all the people around the table, she continued, "According to the medical records provided to me, Nott is the youngest of the babies by a number of weeks. This makes her more likely to experience set backs. Not that she is the only one in danger of these set backs." She cautioned.

As a doctor, Carolyn knew the effects this kind of stress could have on even the strongest of people. This group had been on a roller coaster full of sharp ups and downs and just about every point in between. And they were not in the clear yet. Even after the babies were brought out of sedation and cleared medically, this was going to be the hardest and longest mission even SG-1 had tackled. Parenthood. And alien babies to boot.

"I want to see her." Vala's voice was strong and sure. "I want to go see her now."

"I don't…" Carolyn began, but was stopped by the violent shaking of Vala's head.

Carolyn sighed heavily. She knew what Vala was saying, if this baby wasn't going to make it…Damn. She looked again at the faces watching her from around the table. If one 'parent' goes, they all go. "Fine._** But…**_only ten minutes. Then I want you all out of here. Go home. Rest. The next few days may or may not leave room for that luxury." She passed her stern gaze over them all before nodding and leading the way out the door.

Approaching the nursery doors, Carolyn stopped. "Remember, ten minutes. Do not disturb my nurses. I will help everyone find the correct station, please just try and be patient."

Inside the nursery Daniel and Vala immediately rushed to the second station, the sounds of Dr. Lam directing others to their babies faded into the background. Looking down on the tiny forms curled under the warmth of the heat lamp, they both realized they would never be the same. A world of difference separated these little 'people' from the ice incased bodies they had spied earlier.

"When will you try bringing them out of sedation?" Cam spoke quietly, so as not to disturb the other 'parents'.

Pursing her lips in thought, Carolyn looked around to find everyone, including her nurses, watching, waiting for her response. "Well, it's hard to know for sure. I don't want to keep them sedated any longer than necessary, but I also want to give their bodies time to adjust. With one scare already past us…it really depends. If they make it through the night with no more emergencies, I may begin to wake them as early as tomorrow. It is really up to the babies, I will have to judge them each separately. The older babies may be more stable and can be woken earlier, but who knows. I am staying on base tonight incase of any emergencies. But I want all of you to go home. If I find you anywhere near this nursery…"

"Be realistic, Carolyn." Sam turned from her babies to look the doctor in the eye. "You know we are not going off this base tonight. I promise not to hover around outside the nursery, but there is no way I could go home."

Everyone nodded their agreement.

"Fine, but I want you to all get out of here long enough to get something to eat. And you will probably want to pack a bag from home. There is no telling what the next few days will bring."

Standing in the hallway, listening to everyone discuss where to go eat, Carolyn watched her father and General Hammond arguing quietly a few feet away.

"_George, you must be kidding me! No."_

"_Listen Hank, we have to be realistic about this. There is no way I can do this. I have to be in Washington to much. Plus you have a wife."_

"_True, but we're not as young we used to be George."_

"_Yes, but you can get Carolyn to help too."_

"_Don't you have kids and grandkids?"_

"_I do, but none that are doctors, or have the security clearance."_

"_You're right. But you owe me one, a big one."_

Carolyn's attention was pulled away from their conversation by Cam tugging her arm and motioning for her to step aside with him. "Um, Dr. Lam…Carolyn. I was wondering…I mean I need to ask you…well, I know you are the doctor and will help out, but…Thor said that I might…"

Carolyn stood, looking more confused by the minute.

"What I'm trying to say is…what I'm asking is, will you be my partner?" Cam was glancing around, everywhere but at her for a moment, then his gaze settled, steady on hers, waiting for her response.

"Partner? Cam what are you talking about?" Carolyn was shaking her head, even more confused.

"I am asking you if will help me raise my babies, be my partner/parent." He was begging her with his eyes.

"You know as their doctor I will always be here to help."

Frustrated, Cam gripped her arms and spoke slowly and clearly. "That's not what I am asking, Carolyn. I can't do this on my own. When I pictured myself as a father there was always a mother in that picture, and I think we can all safely say that out of this lot of lunatics, I'm the least qualified to be a single parent." Taking a breath, Cam threw on his most charming smile and asked, "Come on Carolyn, won't you be my baby's momma?"

Stunned, she could only stare at him for the space of a few heartbeats. But who could turn down a proposal like that? With a grin of her own, Carolyn replied, "Why sure Cam. I'd love nothing more than to be your baby's momma."

"Hey Mitchell!" Jack called as he and the rest of the group turned to walk away. "You and Dr. Lam gonna join us? We decided to order a couple of different things and take it back to Carter's place and hang out for a few hours."

Cam looked down at Carolyn. "No thanks," she replied. "I need to be here."

"Carolyn, you need to eat too. And we can get you back here if they need you. Get your jacket, that's an order." Landry informed his daughter.

"Your dads right Carolyn. And you said yourself everything was stable for now." Cam took Carolyn by the shoulders and turned her to follow the group. "You've been here longer than we have and you're gonna be as busy, if not busier, than us for the next few days."

"Besides," piped in Vala, "Jack's here. So you know the Odyssey is lurking around close enough to beam you back in a hurry."

"Yeahsureyabetcha."

xxxxxxxxxx

Late the next morning, Dr. Lam wandered into the infirmery, noting the group waiting for her. _Now or never. _As she moved closer, the group seemed to move as one. Standing away from the beds they had been sitting on or leaning against.

Setting the stack on files down on one of the beds, she opened the top file and began to explain, "Here's what I've decided to do. The night went pretty well, with only a few fluctuations but nothing too concerning." She glanced around to make sure everyone was following. "I have decided to start by bringing Frigg and Frey awake first."

"You're not going to wake them all at once?"Daniel inquired trying to read the folder over the doctors shoulder.

"No. I don't think that would be wise. If something goes wrong I don't need to have ten babies crashing all at once."

"Right." Daniel nodded his understanding.

"Why Frigg and Frey?" Sam asked quietly.

"For two reasons really. First, Frey is the oldest at just over six months. Second, between the two of them, they have had the least number of fluctuations in their conditions."

"When do you plan to start?" Visibly nervous, Sam lifted her eyes to Jack.

"I am going down to check on them now, if all is still calm I'll get things ready to wake them early this afternoon."

Smiling encouragingly, Carolyn picked up her stack of medical files and turned to walk out of the infirmary.

"Carolyn," General Landry went to follow her out into the hall. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Is it important? I really need to get down to the nursery and go over the procedure with my nurses." Landry could see the excitement in her eyes and knew he couldn't keep her from it.

"No, it can wait." He watched with a smile as she hurried down the hall.

xxxxxxxxxx

Standing against the wall outside the nursery the others waited; two Generals, a colonel, an archeologist, a space pirate, and a Jaffa who kept opening the lid to his wooden box to peer inside before closing it again with a soft smile.

Behind the closed doors of the nursery, it was a bit more active. The two nurses were laying out blankets and warming bottles, Dr. Lam was checking over the array of syringes and medical devises lined up on the tray.

Smiling up at the 'parents' who stood back, just out of the way, she turned to inject the solution into the IV line.

Sam, for one of the very few times in her life, was losing the battle to keep her soldier face on. Then she felt the General's, Jack's, arm drape around her. She smiled; he had been doing that a lot lately. Relaxing against him, she tilted her face towards his, but Jack had his head turned watching the doctor and babies intently.

As Carolyn slowly injected the solution, the beeping of the monitors steadily picked up.

Jack and Sam took an unconscious step forward.

Picking up her stethoscope, Carolyn listened to the heart, lungs, stomach and other vital organs. Counting in her head, she stepped away to let the parents come forward, and checked with the numbers in her medical charts from the manual. Carolyn walked around to stand on the other side of the incubator.

Jack and Sam stood over the baby. Watching with held breath as the small arms and legs began to stir. Eyelids began to flutter, and then blink.

Suddenly a blanket appeared in Sam hands, just as the lash-less lids slid open so that two dark eyes stared up at her and Jack. She reached down wrapping the little grey infant in the soft blanket and held the small body close to hers.

"Happy birthday, little Frey." Came over her shoulder in a warm male voice.

Smiling into the watery eyes of her friend, Carolyn nodded once before slowly starting to inject the second IV.

End Chapter


	9. Meet the Kids

**Chapter 9**

**Meet the Kids**

**Childofspacegypsy1**

xxxxxxxxxx

At some point a nurse stuck her head out and let those waiting in the hall know that all was well. Both babies were awake and doing fine, and Sam and Jack were going to stay with them for a while. She also reminded them that if things kept going well that Dr. Lam would want to begin waking the rest of the babies that same day.

They all got up and asked the nurse to pass along their congratulations. Walking by, they each peeped through the small door windows to see Jack and Sam sitting side by side, each holding a bottle to a blanket wrapped baby. One blue, one pink.

xxxxxx

About an hour later Sam and Jack hunted down the rest of SG-1. They walked into Daniel's office, faces split in half by happy grins.

"We got to feed them and hold them for a while. It was so nice. I can't even describe how sweet they are." Sam sighed happily as she sat in the chair Cam offered her.

"Yeah, it was great right up until it was time to change their diapers and super-mom here insisted to the nurses that we were going to do that." Jack gave Sam an 'I told you so' look.

"Are you going to let him talk to you like that, Samantha?" Vala frowned at Jack.

With an embarrassed grimace, Sam exclaimed, "Oh boy, wait till you guys get a hold of that!"

Cam opened his mouth to express his need to know exactly what he was getting into but Jack spoke before he could. "How about we let them figure that little gem out by themselves, shall we?"

Teal'c lifted his brow, considering Jack. This would need some serious investigation. Both having been fathers before, it disturbed him that a simple diaper was gaining this kind of attention.

Before the rest had a chance to question Sam and Jack further, an airman stepped into the room and asked that SG-1 report to the infirmary.

The doors to the nursery burst open to admit SG-1 and company.

A small Asian woman was handing a pink bundle to Dr. Lam. Looking up she smiled at the group in the doorway. "Hello, I am Kim Lam. Carolyn's mother."

The stunned group responded with murmured hellos as Teal'c bowed, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance KimLam."

"We thought you might like to drop by and see the new arrivals." Smiling Carolyn watched everyone hover around the babies, some looking at Vor and Tyr. Jack was showing off Frigg and Frey to the others.

General Landry gently placed the blanket wrapped infant in the incubator. "We should go up to the briefing room so we can talk without disturbing the babies."

"How are they?" Sam asked from where she leaned over checking on Frey and Frigg.

Carolyn handed her clipboard to the nurse with a nod. "They're doing fine. We woke Vor and Tyr just after you and General O'Neill left. I'm afraid that they were a bit groggier and more disoriented than Frigg and Frey. I'm thinking of moving up waking the rest. They have been on the sedative long enough."

"Are you sure they're going to be Ok?" Vala went to check on Nott and Dagr.

"I think we're still safe, but I'm going to wake Nott and Dagr next. Just to be safe."

Moving closer, Daniel looked worriedly at the doctor. "When?"

"Well, we need to go to the briefing with General Landry, so possibly as soon as that's over. I'd say in an hour to an hour and a half."

xxxxxx

"Let's make this quick since Carolyn wants to go ahead and wake the rest of the babies in response to their starting to show side effects from the sedatives. She'll be waking Nott and Dagr next and if all is well she'll move on to the next babies as soon as she is sure that they are stable." Landry looked to Carolyn to make sure he was conveying her message correctly. "The next thing we need to discuss is living arrangements. You're already aware that these babies will only be allowed on the lower levels here on base and the Alpha site off world."

"'scuse me Hank, but shouldn't George be here?" Jack flipped a pen around in his fingers.

"General Hammond had to return to Washington. He's asked that I and Kim take responsibility for Tyr, for the most part, since he's so busy in Washington."

"Oh," was all Jack was able to reply, knowing he himself would have to be gone more than he wanted to be.

"Now, back to the living arrangements. If you all agree to this, I will have work started on it tonight and get you moved in as soon as possible. What I am planning is to have suites constructed on level 22. Hopefully this will allow for the best access to the children by each parent without any loss of personal space."

"Sweet." Jack stated at the same moment Vala questioned, "Suites?"

Landry went on, "Carolyn has already confirmed that the two nurses helping her now have agreed fill in for daycare, since SG-1 is still needed in the field."

"Also, at some point we will need to discuss schooling for the babies. They will need to learn the Asgard language and technology. Dr. Jackson and Colonel Carter, I believe that task will fall to the two of you."

Sam and Daniel both nodded in agreement.

Clearing his throat Cam spoke up, "General Landry, Thor stated in my manual that if I felt the need to choose a 'partner' I could do so."

"My manual also stated the option of seeking a partner if I so desired." Teal'c informed everyone in support of Mitchell's statement.

"Ok, well that's fine. But you'll have to find someone with security clearance." Landry was frowning in thought.

"Well, I already found someone and clearance isn't a problem." Cam was getting nervous; Carolyn and her mom were laughing into each others eyes. This was going to get interesting.

Cam could feel all eyes on him. Everyone wondering who his mystery woman was. Except for Vala, who had a grin that said she knew what was coming next...and was going to enjoy every moment of it.

"Alright, well I will need to have all that checked before admitting her on base." Landry was trying to figure out who in the world could have that level of security clearance that Mitchell might have been involved with.

"Sir, that's really unnecessary." Cam could not believe that Carolyn was sitting there letting him tackle this by himself.

"I'm afraid, Colonel, that this is necessary for all persons admitted to base." Landry was more than curious now, Mitchell knew the protocol.

"What I'm trying to say… _Sir_…is that…"

Jack prodded with, "For cryin' out loud, Mitchell, out with it."

Looking around at all the expectant faces, Mitchell wondered why he was so nervous…it's not like I asked her to marry me…yet; _what, where had that come from?_

"It's Carolyn, Sir. I asked Carolyn to be my partner."

In the silence that followed Mitchell's confession, Landry allowed himself a few moments to process this. Looking at Carolyn he saw her, watching Cam with amused affection. When had this happened? Surely he would have noticed if they had been dating?

"Carolyn?" Landry turned a questioning frown on his daughter.

"Sir, Colonel Mitchell has expressed his preference for not raising these children on his own. He asked me last night to be a permanent mother figure in the lives of the two babies he is responsible for raising." Carolyn stared her father right in the eye and dared him to make something else out of this, or to try and deny her the right to do this.

"Carolyn, are you sure you want to commit to something like this? I mean having children with someone is a major responsibly. A life long commitment. Do you feel that you know Colonel Mitchell well enough to make this kind of life altering commitment?"

Mitchell opened his mouth to defend himself and Carolyn, but Carolyn held up a hand to stop him. "General Landry, it is not like we are getting married or getting pregnant. We are simply doing what most of the other team members are. Supporting each other through what promises to be a very long and complicated undertaking. I have not heard of you questioning Daniel or Vala's decision to continue this as a team, or General O'Neill and Colonel Carter for that matter. They are not in any more of a personal relationship than myself and Cameron. I hope you can respect our wishes and move on…Sir…"

With a sharp nod at Carolyn, "Teal'c what about you?"

Everyone let out the breath they hadn't realized they were holding.

"I have no need for such a partner." Teal'c sounded like he was convincing himself as much as the rest of the team.

"Alright, but if you should change your mind just let me know. If there is nothing else, I say we break to allow Carolyn a chance to prepare for waking the rest of the babies."

Nodding they all rose and began to move about.

"Carolyn, can I speak to you for a moment?" Landry stood at the door to his office.

"Of course." _May as well get it over with._

"Carolyn, I don't appreciate being dressed down by someone under my command, and I especially don't appreciate it being done in front of a room full of…" Dr. Lam interrupted him.

"Look, I'm sorry. I was out of line. But so were you. That was not my commanding officer back there. That was my father." Carolyn stood with her arms crossed. "I really need to get down to the nursery." At the door Carolyn turned, "And even if I was interested in dating Cameron, surely you can't think of one reason I shouldn't?"

Taking his continued silence as agreement, she headed out of his office and down to the nursery. Passing Cam and Teal'c, headed to the gym, Carolyn lifted her gaze to Cam, who grinned and then winked. Carolyn gave him a baffled look before huffing in indignation and hurrying on.

"So Teal'c. How come you haven't asked Ishta to come? You know Landry would agree to let her help out." Cam reached for two staffs.

"I am no longer communicating with Ishta, ColonelMitchell." Teal'c face was set like stone and even Vala would have taken that as a shut-up. Cam just nodded and stood ready to begin.

xxxxxx

_In the nursery_

Sam and Jack, hoping to spend a few minutes with Frigg and Frey, had followed Daniel and Vala down to the infirmary. When Carolyn came in and began preparing her equipment they placed sleeping babies back into their incubator and with encouraging grins left the nursery.

As soon as she was ready Carolyn smiled and began to inject the IV.

Standing at the base of the incubator, Daniel could feel Vala trembling and looked over to see her standing stiffly. Her hands were clenched and her eyes squeezed tightly shut. He hated to see her like this, knowing she was picturing a different infirmary, a different injection and a different 'baby', praying that this would end in a different 'light'.

Carolyn had finished checking Nott's vitals and had moved over to stand over Dagr. She looked at Daniel who nodded for her to go on. Vala still had her eyes shut, though tears were now leaking from beneath their lids.

Vala could hear the steady climb in the sounds coming from the monitor. Then it leveled off. She stood and listened to the much quicker, but just as steady beeping. Afraid to open her eyes she stood there as if frozen until she felt strong hands grip her hips and a warm body move behind hers, edging her forward.

"Open your eyes, Vala." Daniel spoke quietly, his face right next to hers.

Finally finding the strength to look, Vala opened her eyes to see a small grey baby staring up at her. Its tiny hand wrapped around Daniel's finger, as his arm stretched around her. A movement brought her attention over to little Darg, who was on his stomach, chest raised off the mattress, leaning unsteadily forward on his tiny forearms. He cocked his head to the side and blinked up at them.

"Oh my God. They look like us." Vala was awed by the sight before her. "Well, except the grey skin and the rather large foreheads. And those eyes, those big dark eyes."

Daniel laughed quietly as he handed Vala a blanket and reached down with his own, to pick up Nott. Standing there with Nott pressed to his shoulder he watched as Vala carefully leaned over and raised Dagr out. Holding him close to her chest, eyes closed, Vala softly rubbed her cheek against the soft grey head. Suddenly the image changed, and he saw Vala standing before him holding a small pink baby with a dusting of dark hair and big blue eyes. Slowly lowering himself into a chair, Daniel felt his head begin to swim as he thought, _what the Hell am I getting into now?_

xxxxxx

Sitting with Kim in her temporary VIP quarters, Landry took some time to think about his family and all the sacrifices they had made over the course of his career. He thanked God that they were here in his life and that he had been given a second chance.

He also thought about another family and the sacrifices they had made. SG-1. If anyone deserved a chance to just be normal and have the family life he knew they wanted, it was them. He saw it in their faces every time they spoke of the babies. Laughing quietly he remembered over hearing Teal'c and Mitchell discussing different burping techniques.

Looking up from her book at the sound of Landry's chuckle, Kim raised a brow in question. He simply smiled in return.

He knew that these babies presented an opportunity. An opportunity to not only take the family they had been given, but also the opportunity to reach for their own. He intended to do just that.

xxxxxx

Carolyn leaned in the doorway to the gym, watching Cam and Teal'c spar. Funny, you would never guess from looking that Cam would stand a chance. His time with the Sodan hadn't gone to waste.

Cam spotted Carolyn just in time to give Teal'c the opportunity to slam him to the mat. Lying on his back, he reached to take Teal'c's offered hand-up, and realized to late that the hand was too small and pale to be Teal'c's. He pulled Carolyn down on top of him with the force of his body weight. When her lithe body slammed into his it hit like a Naquadah powered gate buster. Her soft laughter mingled with warm breath in his ear. "I guess I could have warned you."

Teal'c left with a grin on his face and the laughter of his friends in his ears.

"What and miss having the needle wielding doctor sprawled on top of me and totally at my mercy?" Cam watched the frown form in her eyes.

"At your mercy, I'm the one…" Before she could finish Cam grasped her waist in both hands and flipped them so he was leaning over her and she was trapped by his large body. One hand still on her waist Cam supported his weight with the other. Carolyn had both hands gripped in his shirt.

Neither consciously moved, yet somehow they drifted closer.

Suddenly he was kissing her. Slowly exploring, until he felt the slight pressure of Carolyn's hand on his chest.

"Sorry." His wicked grin belayed the truth to his words.

"Don't be."

The walk back to the nursery was quiet as the two kept stealing glances at each other. Carolyn would blush and look away; Cam couldn't keep the grin off his face.

Entering the nursery Carolyn put on her doctor face and hurried about setting out everything she needed. "I'll wake Eir first and then Hoor, Ok?"

Cam nodded, smiling as he watched Carolyn work.

As soon as Carolyn had checked Eir's vitals and moved over to bring Hoor out of sedation, Cam came to stand over Eir and wait for her to wake.

Suddenly the room was filled with the blaring of an alarm.

Cam found himself shoved out of the way as Carolyn began hastily reevaluating Eir.

"…five cc's…cardiac arrest…I need…" Carolyn and the nurses were imperfect sync, items handed off almost before they were even asked for.

"Dr. Lam! Hoor's vitals are dropping…needs oxygen…leveling…"

Through the frantic rush, Carolyn met Cam's eyes. "Page Teal'c. I need to get to Ullr and Urd as soon as I have these two stable."

Nodding once, Cam reached for the phone on the wall. Taking a moment to clear his throat in an attempt to find his voice, "Teal'c to ISO room 23. Teal'c report to ISO room 23."

Turning back to watch the flurry of activity Cam leaned back against the wall, willing himself to stay calm. Arms crossed, he stayed out of the way until he heard Teal'c entering the nursery.

"ColonelMitchell, my presence was requested?" Teal'c stood near Cam, watching the activity.

"Yeah, one of the…Eir crashed. And Carolyn was already waking Hoor, who also went into distress, though not as bad as Eir. I think they are stabilizing now." Cam turned away from the scene in front of him to look at Teal'c. "Carolyn wants to wake Ullr and Urd as soon as she is certain Eir and Hoor are out of danger. Just to be safe."

"I see." Teal'c faced the incubator stations and frowned fiercely.

Almost as if sensing his disapproval the beeping and clicking of the machines began to level off.

"Hook him up…leave in…for now…every quarter hour…need to prepare…" Teal'c and Cam could hear Carolyn explaining her orders to the nurses as she approached their position along the wall.

Carolyn's, "Teal'c, I'm glad you're here." was met with a silent bow. "I'mm ready to bring Ullr and Urd out of sedation."

She looked to Cam, "You can go over to Eir and Hoor if you want. They will be left attached to the machines for now. I doubt Eir will wake anytime soon, but Hoor could at any minute."

Cam reached out and grasped Carolyn's hand, giving it a squeeze, he looked into her eyes. Silently asking her if she was okay. Carolyn nodded once as she walked away followed by Teal'c.

Standing over Eir he reached down and ran a finger down the smooth back of the infant. He looked over to Hoor, who had been moved to a separate bed, and as the small body began to stir, Cam moved to stand at his bed.

Carolyn spoke to Teal'c as she injected the IV attached to Ullr's small arm, "I am using a smaller dose to revive Ullr and Urd. I want to try and avoid to great a shock to their systems, but it may mean they will wake more slowly. Or may even need a second dose." She darted her eyes up to see Teal'c nod of understanding.

Looking up from Hoor, Cam watched Carolyn until a movement behind her drew his attention. There in the door's windows, he could see four familiar faces pressed to the glass.

xxxxxx

_An hour later_

Jack, Sam, Vala and Daniel stood from their seats on the floor outside the nursery as the doors opened and Carolyn, Teal'c and Cam joined them in the hall.

"Well, I believe everyone is stable and hopefully going to stay that way. I suggest we all go and get a good night's sleep." Carolyn leaned wearily against the wall near Sam. "I just talked to General Landry and he asked that we all meet here at 0830 tomorrow morning to work out a feeding schedule, so that you can all get back to work as soon as possible. Things will be easier once you have your quarters prepared and the babies are only here during work hours."

Everyone headed towards the lifts and their personal quarters.

"I would ask that everyone join me in my quarters for a moment. I have a Tau'ri tradition I wish to share with my friends." With a wide grin Teal'c walked down the hall discussing cigars and their history with Daniel.

Hanging back, Cam pulled Jack over and leaned to speak quietly. "Hey, did you know that Teal'c and Ishta are no long an item?"

Jack looked surprised, but answered, "I don't know that they were every an 'item' Mitchell."

Rolling his eyes Cam countered, "You know what I mean. I asked him about her this afternoon. He looked like he was going to pull a Chewbacca on me."

Jack's raised brow was the only response.

Walking along behind them the three women all exchanged meaningful glances.

**End Chapter**


	10. And the Parenting Begins

**Chapter 10**

**And the Parenting Begins**

**childofspacegypsy1**

xxxxxxxxxx

_What at first appeared to be a meteoroid field was, in truth, the remains of Orilla._

_Looking through the huge window of the O'Neill class vessel, his large black eyes stared, unable to completely accept what he now knew to be truth. _

_Where had they all gone? What had become of them? What had happened here as he and his surviving crew had limped home?_

xxxxxx

Teal'c reverently opened the beautiful wooden box and made his way around the room, which was slowly filling with smoke from the expensive cigars.

"Teal'c, as much as I appreciate being included in this, the girls and I would probably be more comfortable going to one of our rooms and doing a 'girl' thing." Sam made a show of swatting at the smoke in the air.

Carolyn parroted her swatting and added a lady-like cough for effect.

Vala, on the other hand, had no clue what they were talking about and was not about to miss out experiencing a new Tau'ri tradition. When she opened her mouth to disagree, the painful connection of her toes and a booted heel stopped her.

Bowing his understanding, Teal'c reached in and removed three cigars, handing one to each of the women.

Grabbing Vala's arm, Sam led the escape to her nearby quarters.

Holding her cigar long-ways between her thumbs and forefingers, Vala examined it. Sniffed it. Licked it. Frowning, she held it in one hand, trying to wrap just the tips of her fingers around it the same way Jack and Mitchell had held theirs. Humpfing smugly as she found the correct orientation of fingers and cigar, she placed one end in her mouth and bit down.

Sam and Carolyn, who had been watching Vala with fascination, burst out laughing as cigar guts exploded from her mouth with a strangled cough.

"You know you are supposed to smoke it, not eat it, don't you Vala?" Carolyn barely got out before laughter over took her again.

"Yes! Of course I know that!" She stuck out her tongue and tried to pick the last few flecks of tobacco off.

Vala sat on the end of the bed legs pulled up too her chest, arms wrapped around them. Carolyn leaned against the head board with her legs stretched out in front of her.

Sam went to her mini-fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine. Pouring and handing a glass to each of her friends she settled into one of the chairs and leaned forward, forearms braced on her thighs, her hands hanging between them dangling her wine glass.

After taking a drink of wine Vala spoke first. "So, Samantha, I assume you drug me here to talk about Teal'c and Ishta?"

"I just think it's weird. Teal'c has never hidden his relationship with Ishta. I'm not saying he goes around talking about it or anything. Just that when she is around they never hide their affection for each other."

"So, what do you think happened?" Carolyn looked at Sam.

"You know who we need to talk to…" Vala took another sip of her wine, "Ishta. We should send a message to Ishta."

"Oh no. No way, we can't do that Vala." Sam's voice was earnest. "That would be a violation of Teal'c's private life, he would never forgive us."

"She's our friend…and I for one think she would want to come and meet our babies." Vala looked from Sam to Carolyn, gauging their reactions.

"I don't know, I mean we're not exactly like bosom buddies." Sam was still unconvinced.

"She may have been Muscle's friend first, but that doesn't matter now. Ishta is our friend. You never know, they may both be wishing for a chance to see each other and make up but are too proud to ask." Vala sat back, satisfied with her reasoning. "And maybe there is nothing wrong at all. It won't hurt just to invite her to see the babies, right?"

xxxxxx

_P4X-528 two weeks later…_

"…so then she pulled her bottom half up and was rocking back and forth, I just knew at any minute she was going to crawl. At 4 months!" Vala and Cam were standing facing each other a few yards outside the ruins. Sam and Teal'c were taking watch a few more yards from them. Vala's hands were flailing and waving as she went on and on about her 'little pumpkin', Nott.

Daniel's dust cover head popped out from the side of some huge monument. "You would think, the way she goes on, that her 'precious' Nott is some perfect angel. Let me tell you. That precocious imp torments poor Dagr."

"How dare you say that about our sweet little girl!? It's not her fault he lets her walk all over him." Turning away with a sniff and a huff, Vala raised her brows at Cam, saying 'See what I put up with?'

Sam leaned against a low boulder; P-90 aimed, gaze focused on the field ahead. "That's pretty good, Vala. I read that rocking back and forth like that is a sign the baby is close to learning to crawl. You know Jack has been complaining about missing things like that since he had to return to Washington."

"I am still most disturbed by the soiled diapers." The scowl Teal'c aimed across the field would have sent the best of men running the opposite direction.

With a roll of his eyes, Daniel's head vanished back behind the monument. _Would he never quit whining about the diapers?_

xxxxxx

Coming down the ramp leading from the 'Gate, Vala and Daniel each had one end of a large crate containing as much of P4X-528's historical tablets and artifacts as Daniel could safely pack.

Vala was talking to Teal'c about the next day's play-date. When he didn't respond to her last statement, Vala glanced over to where Teal'c stood beside her, staring up to the window of the control room. Looking to see what held his attention, she saw Ishta standing behind Walter.

"Samantha! She's here!" Vala quickly passed her end of the crate to a surprised Teal'c before dashing out of the gate room followed by Sam.

Teal'c slid his gaze over to Cam, who stood looking confused until he noticed Teal'c's scrutiny. Shaking his head, Cam silently denied any knowledge or participation.

Meeting Ishta not far outside the 'Gate room, both Sam and Vala smiled welcomingly.

"SamanthaCarter, ValaMalDoran." Ishta bowed.

"It's Sam, please. We're so glad you came."

"Yes, and call me Vala. How long have you been here?"

Ishta followed as Sam and Vala started to walk towards the infirmary. "Not long. GeneralLandry informed me of your intended return and suggested I await you in the control room as soon as I was cleared by one of your medical personnel."

"Are you gonna be here long?" Sam looked over to Ishta, who walked between herself and Vala.

"I was not sure how long you intended my visit to be, but I am prepared to stay for a number of days. To 'Hang Out', as Vala described in her message." Ishta smiled and bowed her head slightly. "I look forward to meeting your children; Vala assures me they are quite…adorable."

"Okay, why don't you go get settled in while we clean up and de-brief, then we can meet at the nursery, uh ISO-room 23, when we're through?" Sam suggested as they stopped at the end of a corridor.

With a nod of her head, Ishta turned to go find Walter and inform him she would require quarters after all.

Enjoying a light Kel'no'reem, Ishta waited for the time to go and meet Sam and Vala at the nursery, until a knock had her opening her door.

In the open doorway of her room, Teal'c stood, feet spread, hands clasped behind his back. "You are not welcome here. I ask that you leave."

Ishta stood in front of him. "I do not think I would be here now if I were not welcome."

"I know not what trickery you used to get my friends to invite you here…"

"I have not lied, nor mis-represented myself to anyone. And as for _my_ friends, they contacted me." Stepping towards him, Ishta fisted her hands at her side.

"…but you will not be here long once they learn of your untruthful ways." Teal'c turned and left.

Standing there staring at her closed door, Ishta fought to control her emotions. Fought the tears burning in her eyes and throat.

_I am a proud Jaffa warrior. A leader of the Hak'tyl. And I will not let that man make me cry. By the Gods, _I will not.

Back straight, head held high, Ishta went to join her friends in the ISO room.

xxxxxx

Deciding to make a detour on his way to the nursery, Cam headed to the observation room connected to ISO room 10. Carolyn had called him earlier with something about SG-3 and some virus.

Stepping into the room, Cam walked over to the window and with a wave to Carolyn (who looked awful cute in that big orange suit), switched on the mic. "Hey, Reynolds. Bring back anything interesting?"

The Colonel smiled cockily up at Cam. "Sure did, Mitchell. Why don't you come on down and take a look?"

"Naw. I was stoppin' by to make sure ya'll were gonna make it. Well, I better get down to the nursery. I got babies to feed…"

Dr. Lam looked up at him with a smirk, "And diapers to change." Cam felt the smile slid from his face_._

Just then Reynolds, who had been quietly chuckling, started sneezing, which set off the rest of his team sneezing. But that wasn't the best part. Cam stood there, unbelieving as the four men sneezed uncontrollably, spraying a bright purple mist out with each 'Ah-choo'. When Carolyn turned to look up and see if he still there, he managed to dart from the room before he started laughing.

Carolyn Lam in an orange Haz-Mat suit might be cute, but Carolyn Lam in an orange Haz-Mat suit that had been 'spray' painted purple? PRICELESS.

Still grinning and laughing to himself, Cam approached the doors to the nursery. As he got closer he could hear angry voices in loud stage whisper. Standing against the wall he leaned over to look inside and see who was arguing. Damn, it was Carter and General O'Neill. Standing there trying to decide what to do, he cursed his luck. Then it was quiet. _Thank God. They stopped._

Walking into the nursery, friendly smile on his face, Cam opened his mouth to greet the couple. And ended up standing in the doorway of the nursery, mouth hanging open, eyes glued to the scene in front of him. _OH.MY.GOD._

Whipping around Cam fled the nursery for the safety of the hallway.

_Why me? Holy Cow! He was kissin' her. General O'Neill was in the nursery, kissin' the mess out of Carter. Oh God, there are babies in there. I have to stop them. What am I gonna do? Shit! They are probably in there makin' babies in front of the babies! Oh shit. Mental image, BAD mental image. I'm gonna be scarred for life. Those kids are gonna be scarred for life! _

Slowly turning back to face his duty, Cam took a deep fortifying breath and reached the doors just as they swished open and Carter and O'Neill came walking out.

"Hey Cam. You here for your afternoon feeding?" Sam smiled and then looked around, "Where's Carolyn?"

"Uh, SG-3 brought back something from their mission earlier and she is dealin' with that." Cam eyed the two, beginning to fear for his sanity. Did he just imagine that whole scene?

"Anything interesting?" Jack had 100 on freak plant life in the pool.

"Uh, yeah, pretty interesting…purple snot. Well, I better get in there and check on Eir and Hoor." He edged his way past, eyes on the floor. "See ya'."

"Damn."

Sam laughed, "What? Did you have plant life in the pool again?"

xxxxxx

Wandering across the office, then slowly turning around to wander back the way she came, Vala's hand casually rested on the baby carrier strapped to her chest. Darg dangled there, gurgling and reaching out for the book his mother held open before her.

Daniel sat at his computer, trying to find some connection between the passage Vala was reading to him and the text he was translating. One hand busily steered and clicked the computer mouse; the other supported a tiny diaper clad bottom. Nott slept peacefully, draped over her father's shoulder.

Vala struggled to keep her eyes trained on the pages before her, both to keep the ancient tome from Darg's eager grasp and to keep her gaze from locking on to where that large tanned hand completely covered the tiny baby's bottom. Every time she let her sight settle there a…delightful quiver rippled through the pit of her stomach.

Grasping for some thought to distract her wandering eyes, Vala said the first thing that came to her mind. "Daniel, we need to go shopping."

xxxxxx

The elevator ride back down the mountain was tense with silence.

Teal'c and Vala stood as far across the compartment from each other as they could. Vala was glaring a hole in the side of Teal'c's face. The stoic Jaffa didn't even register her existence.

_All had started out well, _

"_Jack, we need to go off base and get a few things." Daniel was glad that Jack and Sam had shown up when they did. "The rooms are finally finished and Carolyn said the babies were ok to go with us soon."_

"_We need more stuff." Stated Vala, when this was met with an expectant stare, she realized he was waiting for clarification. "Baby stuff."_

"_Baby stuff?" Jack just stared at Vala hoping someone else would speak up and clarify._

_No such luck. Vala began again. "Blankets and booties and cribs and bottles and diapers…"_

"_Vala…"_

"_and bouncers and clothes and shoes and hair bows…"_

"_Vala!"_

"_and books and teddy bears and those videos, have you seen them, what's it called, oh Baby Einstein. We'll need a whole box set of those…"_

"_**VALA!!"**__ went the all male choir. _

"_Yes darling? Did I forget something?" Vala twisted around to where she could see Daniel._

"_Nnoooo. I think Jack gets the idea." Daniel smiled at her._

"_I'll call and have a base truck brought around for us; do we need anything before we go?" Jack, waited for Vala to jump up and need 'a few minutes', and was surprised when Carter, not Vala, was the first to blow past him with an "Excuse me, Sir!" thrown over her shoulder._

"_I'm gonna call and see if Carolyn wants to go or needs anything." A few minutes later Cam leaned back in the door, "She said she'd meet us top-side."_

_Sam had met them at the SUV with Ishta in tow. As they all crammed in, Teal'c went to climb in to the last seat available. Upon finding it and noting it's proximity to Ishta, he moved to the front passenger door and stood with brow raised until Cam gave up and moved to the back._

"_SO, where to?" Jack asked the review mirror._

"_Not the mall." Cam prayed in earnest._

"_No, we don't have time for that." Samantha thought for a moment. "How about that shopping center with the Target and Babies'R'Us."_

_Vala's, "I've never been in a Babies'R'Us, we ran to Wal-Mart for the few things we have now." had Daniel groaning and checking to make sure he had both of his credit cards. The Platinum ones._

_There had been a small scuffle in Babies'R'Us, over bassinets. They had instead decided to each buy a pair of cribs. They also bought a number of other large items and some keepsakes, and arranged for shipment to the base later that day._

_They had then moved on to Target. Things had started much as before, oh's and ah's. No's and yes's. They had just about cleared out the infant clothing, wandering in groups of two or three, when raised voices could be heard from the baby feeding isle. As the group turned down the isle, wondering where in the world Vala and Teal'c and Jack were, they were all astounded to find the two aliens standing nose to nose, each clutching a box set of bottles._

"_I refuse to believe that those plastic liners are superior to the Vent-Air line of bottles." Teal'c's voice was low and stiff._

_Vala was indignant, "Muscles, you don't know what you're talking about. This 'liner' process is much more efficient than those silly vent-thingies."_

_Just as it looked to turn physical, Jack appeared. "Sam! Look! I found a little baby jersey!" He came rushing up, arm at a ninety degree angle, jersey pulled down over his forearm, fisted hand poking out of the neck of the jersey. Moving the 'mouth' he made the 'baby' speak, "Mama, Dada."_

_With a roll of her eye's Carolyn stepped in and informed the two adversaries that either line of bottles was as good as the other, that the end result was the same. Less air going from the bottle into the baby's stomach, therefore reducing gas. _

As soon as the elevator doors slid open, Teal'c stepped out leaving Vala glaring at the back of his head, muttering about egotistical Jaffa.

"It is not the Jaffa, but the man in him that is so frustrating, ValaMalDoran." Ishta commented sagely.

xxxxxx

The past few days had been quiet, affording the 'parents' some quality time. As everyone settled into the new routines and day-to-day goings on, it never occurred to them to forewarn any of-world travelers of the newest members of the SGC.

"Incoming wormhole!"

"It's Atlantis' IDC, on schedule. Opening the iris."

Colonel Shepard and his team stomped down the ramp and looked up to the control room.

Walter's voice came over the intercom, "Colonel Shepard, General Landry sends his regrets he couldn't be here to greet you, but it was time for his 1100 feeding time."

Unsure how to respond, the group could only nod as they made their way from the 'Gate room and towards the infirmary.

Shepard and Teyla turned a corner just in time to see Mitchell, who appeared to pushing a cart of some kind, disappear around a corner further down the corridor.

"Mitchell!"

Hearing his name, Cam stopped and leaned back so that his head and shoulders were once again visible. "Hey Shep. Look man, I'll have to catch you after your briefing." He had stepped back into the hall where Shepard and his team stood, but his arm was still attached to the object around the corner, slowly swaying back and forth in a side to side rocking motion. Wet gurgling and sporadic sharp cries were coming from that direction. "It's lunch time and I gotta run." With that he quickly hurried off, looking slightly harassed.

"Was that a stroller?" McKay looked at Shepard hoping he wasn't losing it, finally.

"I'm not sure, but what was that noise?"

"It sounded like a baby to me; do they have strict eating regulations around here? They are very concerned with lunch time." Teyla looked to Shepard who simply shrugged and walked away shaking his head.

xxxxx

Except for the lone man and a nurse curtained off at the far end of the room, the Atlantis team was alone waiting for the doctor to return with the all clear.

Ronan stood at the end of the bed McKay laid sprawled out on. Teyla and Shepard sat on the next bed facing the other two.

McKay lay with an arm flung over his eyes. "What is that God awful smell?"

"I first noticed it when we entered the infirmary, it is quite…pungent." Teyla looked around hoping to see something that could explain the horrible scent.

Dr. Lam walked in at that moment and noticing the odd looks on the faces of the Atlantis team, she laughed lightly. "Sorry about the smell, I just changed a diaper and didn't have time to have it disposed of."

Teyla and Shepard raised their heads, Ronan turned at the waist and McKay dropped the arm from his eyes and rolled his head to the side, all four sets of eyes came to rest on the man at the far end of the infirmary.

xxxxxx

After a short debriefing with Landry, the team changed into the civvies they kept on base for their random jaunts to earth, and went to see who from SG-1 they could find. They were almost to Sam's lab, when passing by a connecting hallway they all stopped and for fourth time that day, were left completely astounded. There walking away from them down the hall, Teal'c had what appeared to be an infant of some kind tucked under each arm like a football. The baby's were small and grey. And wiggling. And giggling.

In stunned silence they walked the last few feet to Sam's lab, where they encountered yet another baffling scene. Samantha Carter stood with a small grey baby on her hip, phone held between shoulder and ear. "No Jack, she's back in the infirmary…Well she was tired and cranky…No, it's just a small fever Jack…I just thought she would be more comfy there with the nurses to take care of her…No you don't need to come back just for this…It's a cold, I only sent her back to the nursery to try and be fair to her and Frey…Ok, fine. I'll see you tonight…Yes, the new rooms are ready and we're taking the babies tonight…Bye…Say bye to daddy Frey…Ok, see you tonight."

"Oh my God. You made babies, Asgard babies!" Rodney McKay was floored.

Laughing, Sam walked over to the group, "No Rodney. We didn't 'make' them."

"How precious, how old is he/she?" Teyla reached a hand out to tickle the baby's belly.

"This is Frey and he's seven months, his little sister Frigg has a cold and is back in the nursery, she's five and half months." Sam held the baby out in invitation for Teyla, who quickly took the child and sat down as Sam began filling them in on the past few weeks at the SGC.

xxxxxx

"_Commander, the sub light engines are almost at full capacity and we may be able to use the hyper-drive in short bursts."_

_Heimdall sat in the control chair on the bridge. "How long will it take to reach Earth?"_

"_A few weeks with the occasional use of the hyper-drive."_

**END CHAPTER**


	11. Growth and Developments

**Chapter 11**

**Growth and Developments**

**childofspacegypsy1**

**xxxxxx**

With a child held casually in each arm Teal'c stood waiting just inside the 'Gate room.

Ullr gazed, entranced, at the spinning and flashing 'Gate. Eyes blinking slowly and head cocked, he seemed to study it intently.

Urd, on the other hand, was more interested in her attempts to get her fathers chain into her mouth, until the bright flash and loud kawoosh of the wormhole drew her attention.

"Father, it is good to see you." Ry'ac came down the ramp smiling broadly.

"And you as well, Ry'ac." With a hint of a grin Teal'c handed Urd off to Ry'ac. "Your sister Urd. And this is your brother Ullr." He added, nodding to the baby still in his arms.

Taking Urd, Ry'ac settled her gently but firmly on his hip as he turned to follow his father. "Kar'yn was disappointed she was not also able to come meet the children. She did mention that Ishta had come to visit."

"Indeed."

Later as the two stood back in the 'Gate room, Ry'ac once again brought the subject of Ishta to his fathers attention. "I was surprised to see Ishta was still here after so many days. Though you did not speak to each other."

"Indeed."

"Father. Do not let your pride keep you from admitting when you are wrong. It may cost you the love of a very good woman."

They both looked up to the kawoosh of the wormhole.

"I do not need such advice from one as young as you Ry'ac." With a bow to his son, Teal'c watched as Ry'ac stepped through the event horizon before turning away.

**xxxxxx**

"Daniel! Daniel, slow down. I need to talk to you. In Private." Jack grabbed Daniel by the arm and swung him around, heading back towards the archeologist's office.

"Jack." Daniel tugged on the arm in Jack's grasp.

"Daniel." Jack just kept marching on, Frey slung over his shoulder as he dragged Daniel in his wake.

"Jack." Daniel finally yanked his arm free outside his office door.

"Daniel." Jack stood back to motion Daniel through the doorway.

Once in the office, Daniel did an about face. "Alright." Distracted, he smiled down at Frey who was gurgling happily in his father's arms. "Hey, buddy."

Jack thrust Frey out, dangling him right in Daniel's face. The baby giggled and babbled and cooed.

"That! There! What's he saying?"

"What's who saying?" Daniel looked from Jack to Frey and back again.

"Frey, what's Frey saying!?" Seeing Daniel's disbelieving stare Jack spoke slowly like talking to a small child. "Frey is Asgard. You speak Asgard. I know he's saying something…translate it. Please."

"First, I don't speak Asgard very well. I can read it, but not really speak it. Second, that's baby talk Jack. Nothing else."

"No way, Danny boy. Ask Mitchell. He saw them talking too."

"Saw who talking?"

"The kids! I'm telling ya, they were talking."

"Jack, there is no way that baby is…no wait…" Daniel leaned in closer to Frey, who was swinging his grey legs as he swiped at the face in front of him, gurgling and babbling, "Oh My God, you may be right."

"Really!?" Jack turned the baby back to face him and stared astounded.

"No." Daniel dead panned.

"Well fine!" Jack crushed Frey to his chest and swung around, storming out of the office. "We're gonna go talk to Dr. Lam."

Standing at his office door, Daniel started to follow Jack down the hall.

"_SG-1 to the infirmary. Bring the babies."_

**xxxxxx**

Placing the children on a large play-mat, they all gathered around the doctor.

"Okay. I assume everyone knows why we are here?" Carolyn looked around and decided to clarify, just to be sure. "There have been some concerns raised about the children. That they might be developing more quickly than we expected. The first thing I want to do is some simple development tests, like any human infant would have at their well-child check-up. That should give us an idea of where they are developmentally. I'll test them youngest to oldest."

Setting Nott on a near by exam bed, Carolyn began to use a number of brightly colored 'toys' to test Nott's motor skills. "Nott is a week short of five months, so I will start with the fifth month tests. Remember that some advancement is expected"

Daniel and Vala were standing near Dr. Lam, Kim and Landry stood at the exam table, talking to Daniel while they all watched the tests. Teal'c waited across the room, feet spread, keeping the babies from the door, while Sam and Jack argued with Cam near a computer desk.

Finishing with Nott, Carolyn turned to Daniel and Vala. "Well, I must say, I'm a bit surprised. Nott passed the tests for both five and six month development, and even some of the seven month activities." Lifting Nott from the bed, she handed her to Vala. "Bring me Urd next. She's only three weeks older than Nott so their test results should be similar."

Vala placed Nott on the matt and picked Urd up, she smiled when she saw Dagr making a b-line for his sister.

Seeing Urd being carried over to Dr. Lam, Teal'c took his attention from the babies on the floor to the exam table. Still talking to Sam and Jack, Cam noticed that Frey and Hoor were off to one side of the mat by themselves, building a block tower. He turned back to the conversation.

The babies were babbling to each other. Frey looked over to where his parents stood; he slowly got to his feet and stood unsteadily for a moment, before falling back to land with a thud on his rear-end. Babbling to Hoor, he attempted to rise again as Hoor got on all fours and crawled over to Sam. Frey was still across the room, having once again gotten to his feet and precariously toddled in their direction.

Feeling a tug on her leg, Sam looked down to find Hoor sitting at her feet. Smiling she bent to pick him up. She held him with his back to her, butt resting on her hip, her arm snuggly across his tummy.

Across the room, Carolyn had finished her test with Urd. Handing the baby to Kim, Carolyn turned to lean back against the bed. "If all the babies are advancing at this rate, we might need to run some more sophisticated tests, like EEG's. We need to get a better idea of how fast and far these babies are developing." Everyone turned their attention to Carolyn, as they discussed various courses of action.

Meanwhile, Frey had made his way unsteadily to Sam's side. Holding onto the table leg, he looked up and babbled to Hoor.

Eye's blinking, Hoor studied the keyboard then turned back to gaze down at Frey.

Babble babble…Frey pointed up to the computer.

Leaning over Sam's arm, Hoor poked at the keys with one finger. As the screen came to life, he turned back to Frey.

Babble babble…Frey blinked up at Hoor.

Poke poke. Blink.

Hearing the computer keys clicking, Cam glanced over to Sam but stopped cold when he saw Hoor poking the keys with his finger.Elbowing Jack lightly in the side, he nodded his head towards Sam and the two babies.

Jack in turn yanked on Daniel's arm.

"Jack?"

Putting a finger to his lips, Jack pointed to the computer table. By this time all the adults were silently watching the two babies.

After poking a few more keys, Hoor gazed down at Frey and babbled. Frey babbled back, standing on his tippie toes Frey tried to see the screen. All the other babies had crawled over and were watching with interest.

Walking up behind Frey, Daniel picked the baby up and held him where he could see the screen. Frey started pointing at the screen and babbling expressively to Daniel, who studied the screen in an attempt to understand.

"I think I know what they're looking for." Daniel pulled a chair up to the desk and settled Frey in his lap as he searched the database.

When Daniel opened one of the files and a brightly colored children's program appeared, both Frey and Hoor began clapping and babbling excitedly.

The adults were astounded.

Daniel turned to address the rest of the parents. "This is a program I installed last week to work with Frey and some of the older babies. They must have seen me opening it and were trying to find it on this terminal."

Turning back to the computer Daniel was astonished to find that Frey had pulled up the Alphabet page and was clicking on letters and trying to spell something out.

Frey turned to point at Jack…"Dada." Then to Sam…"Mama." Then pointed to himself…"Frey." Then pointed back to the screen.

**we r not same**

**xxxxxx**

"We are entering the Milky Way, commander."

"Are communications strong enough to reach Earth?" Heimdall looked to the young Asgard standing at the control board.

"Not yet."

"We will contact the SGC as soon as the communications allow." Heimdall hoped there he would find the answers he sought.

**xxxxxx**

SG-1 stood waiting for the 'Gate to dial. It was their first mission since the startling revelations in the nursery the week before.

Cam walked up next to Sam. "You noticed Princess has been a bit on the quiet side?"

"Yeah, I thought it was just her being worried over the babies. But I think it might be more than that. You think we should ask Daniel?" Turning from the object of their discussion, something else caught Sam's eye.

"Who, Jackson?" Cam eyed the archeologist. "He looks about as observant as always…meaning if it ain't covered in dust, he don't see it." After a silent pause Cam felt Carter leaning towards him and swung his head her direction, the sudden movement catching Sam off guard, caused their foreheads and noses to bump.

"Um, yeah. Ha. You're probably right." blushing and rubbing her nose, Sam chuckled and pointed to what had held her attention. "I think you've got spit up on your jacket."

"What?" Cam looked down and pulled the sleeve of his jacket out into his range of sight. "I'll be damned!" He started searching through his pockets for a tissue or something.

"Here." Sam pulled a small pack of wet wipes from her vest pocket. "These will get anything off of anything. I don't know what they put in them, but whoever invented these puppies is worth a lot of money."

Laughing Cam watched as Sam rubbed the small white stain out of his sleeve.

"_SAM!"_ A loud voice burst from the intercom causing everyone in the 'Gate room to jump and Sam and Cam to leap apart.

"General?" Carter asked with a confused look to the control room.

"Uh, yeah. Um can I see you for a minute? Now." Jack turned and headed for the stairs.

"Sir?" Sam was totally confused.

"Um, be careful." Jack smiled sagely as he rocked back on his heals.

"That's it?" Still confounded, she looked up, eyes wide.

Jack's smile faded. "Uh, no. Frigg has a runny nose."

Sam cocked a brow.

"I just thought you might like to know. Since she's been sick lately and all."

Hearing the kawoosh of the 'Gate, Sam nodded. "Okay. Well thanks."

"Not a problem, anytime."

**xxxxxx**

Having just returned from a mission and the following debriefing, Teal'c wanted nothing more than to pick up his children and return to his quarters.

Stepping through the doors of the nursery, he found himself confronted with a very startling sight.

Ishta was on the floor of the nursery, surrounded by a few of the babies, humming lightly, one hand lightly caressing Ullr's smooth head as the other babies built block towers. It brought to mind a conversation he had with Ry'ac during his short visit the week before. It re-enforced his determination to do something he knew he must do.

"Ishta."

Ishta twisted around from her seat on the floor. "Teal'c. I was spending a few moments with the children before I take my leave for home today." Standing she handed one of the babies to a nurse and picked up another to place back in its crib.

"I would like to speak with you before you leave."

Brow raised, Ishta studied him.

"Please."

With a nod, she followed Teal'c out if the nursery.

**End Chapter**


	12. Changes in the Air

**Chapter 12**

**Changes in the Air**

**childofspacegypsy1**

**xxxxxx**

"Commander Heimdall?"

Heimdall turned from the consol. "Yes?"

"We are in communications range; we may be able to get a message off before we lose that function, again. Would you like to send a message to earth?"

"How long before we arrive in orbit?" Heimdall turned back to continue manipulating the crystal across the consol.

"A few hours should bring us into earths orbit."

"We will wait." Heimdall hoped the Tau'ri would be able to help; they were in desperate need of materials for repairs, as well as answers to the troubling question of what became of the rest of their people.

**xxxxxx**

Teal'c watched the other warrior's lithe body as it gracefully roamed the small confines of his room. Forcefully he pulled himself from his musings and braced for what he knew must come next.

"Ishta." Waiting for the slim blonde to stop in her wanderings, Teal'c again studied her. _There was no denying, he had missed the companionship of this woman considerably._

At the sound of her name, Ishta turned to face the irritating man, meeting his eyes boldly.

"I realize that recent events have left me looking like a hypocrite, and I wish to clear this misunderstanding between us." Teal'c spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully.

"Misunderstanding? I misunderstood nothing." Angrily, Ishta brushed past him.

Teal'c watched as Ishta stopped at the door, body rigid with fury. He realized that it was now or never. If he let her walk away from him now, he would lose her forever.

Stepping up to stand right behind her, Teal'c gripped her shoulder, pulling her back to nuzzle his face into her neck before raising his head and turning her to face him. "Ishta, I am a very proud man. But that pride has not always served me well. There are times such as this one when it hinders me in reaching for something I want. I made a decision. A bad one. Made in the heat of the moment, out of fear." He stood away from her as he felt her turning.

The look of shock on her face almost made him laugh. "Even the most proud Jaffa warriors feel fear from time to time."

Ishta stepped closer, tipping her face up to study Teal'c. Her heart was pounding; she had not been prepared for this, this blatant honesty from the man in front of her.

Deciding it was time to take some advice from his son, Teal'c grasped Ishta by the hips. Pulling her close, he smiled when she reached up, putting a restraining hand on his chest, but instead gripped his shirt and pressed her body closer to his.

"You… when I told you of my wish for children, that finally being out free of Molok and finding a permanent home for my people, I was ready to start a family, a family with you. You refused. You told me that under no circumstances would you ever wish to have more children." Pulling away from his embrace, Ishta clenched her fists at the memory. "You even went so far as to attack me, saying that I had tricked you into something that was not what our original 'arrangement' was. That I was turning our relationship into something it was not. How am I to forgive you for that? How am I to look past that hurt, when I find you here happily being father to these children? Not that I begrudge them your parenting."

Teal'c felt his heart lurch as he listened to her tirade, knowing she was right, and that there was a very good chance she would not wish to re-establish a relationship with him. He could not blame her.

Unable to stop himself, he reached for her again. "As I said I made a foolish choice out of fear."

"What could you have to fear from me?" Letting Teal'c pull her close again, Ishta tried to focus her swirling thoughts.

With a warm smile, he leaned in to brush her lips lightly with his own. "Nothing but my own insecurities. If you are willing, I would like a chance to make it up to you, a chance to start our relationship again."

Grinning slyly, Ishta leaned into Teal'c's embrace. "I believe I could be persuaded."

**xxxxxx**

Daniel leaned in the doorway of their private nursery. Though the room was dark, he could make out Vala's outline curled up in the rocking chair, watching the babies sleep. For the first time in nearly two years, Daniel was afraid he really didn't know what was going through her head.

In some ways she was the happiest he'd seen her. Settling into the family life quite snuggly, she balanced work and family effortlessly. But then, why did hers eye's turn sad from time to time? Like something was slowly eating away at her happiness, tainting it.

It wasn't Adria, it was something more, and something she wouldn't/didn't talk to him about. And all the while they were growing closer; some part of her seemed to be drifting away, making him feel desperate to pull her closer.

Vala sat quietly, watching her babies, silent tears sliding down her cheeks. She could feel him in the doorway, sensed his eyes on her. A feeling that used to bring a tingle of excitement and anticipation, but now she only felt the painful jolt of need and the empty burn of unrequited love.

Biting her lip and breathing deeply, she attempted to stop the flow of tears as she felt Daniel approach.

Sinking down to crouch in front of her, Daniel studied her face. He could see the tears, shining in the dim light. Reaching up to clasp her hand Daniel's voice was soft and warm, "Vala?"

Softly clearing her throat of unshed tears, Vala looked down at her best friend, her protector, her tormentor. And by the gods the man she loved. "Yes, Daniel."

"Is something wrong?" Concerned, he watched her face closely.

"No, Daniel. The babies are fine."

"That's not what I meant, Vala. Why are you here in the dark, alone?"

"I like to watch them sleep."

Daniel smiled, he too often came here to do just that. "And the tears?"

She was quiet for a long time, so long Daniel didn't think she would respond, she sat quietly seeming to study him. Finally she stood up, knocking Daniel back.

"I'm fine, darling. Just a little melancholy. Nothing to worry about." Vala leaned over the crib rail to press a kiss to each of the babies.

"If you're upset about something…Vala, you know you can talk to me about anything…unless it's me." His heart plummeted when he saw her falter.

"What makes you think that Daniel?" Reaching the door to her bedroom, Vala turned to look Daniel in the face. Her breath caught at the pained expression in his eyes.

"I thought we were growing closer. I…why are you suddenly pulling away if it's not me?" Stepping up so that they stood face to face, Daniel couldn't stop himself from reaching up to run his thumb across the dried tears staining her cheek.

Closing her eyes, Vala unconsciously leaned forward, pressing into the palm of his hand. She desperately searched for something to say, anything to comfort him, take that confusion and pain from his eyes. It wasn't that she thought Daniel would never let himself be loved again, it's just that she knew it would be someone 'safe'. And it wouldn't be her, his friend. A friendship she couldn't lose, couldn't risk.

"Vala?" Daniel inched closer so their faces were close, foreheads nearly touching. He could feel his heart beat, her heart beat, their hearts beating. The usually eloquent linguist, pushed back, dominated by the man. The man, trembling with desperation, with the need to touch, to hold this woman.

"Daniel, I…" suddenly Vala was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with the smell, the feel, the wanting of Daniel.

Their foreheads touched.

Lips close enough to lightly brush. Breathing the same air, speaking the same words before melding into one.

"I love you."

**xxxxxx**

"General Landry to the control room. SG-1 to the control room."

Carolyn looked up from her desk to her mother and the nurse watching Eir, Hoor, Ulr and Urd playfully romping on the mat. The two women exchanged curious glances before going back to what they were doing.

Stopping to hear the announcement blaring from the speaker, Cam let his staff drop allowing Teal'c an opportunity to swipe his legs out from under him. Glaring up at Teal'c as the Jaffa reached out to help him up, Cam wiped the sweat from his face. "Well, let's see what they want. Shall we?"

Bowing his head fractionally, Teal'c set his staff against the wall and followed Cam from the gym.

With a frustrated groan, Daniel pulled his lips from Vala's and leaned his forehead against hers. Breathing deeply, he stepped back and lowered her until her feet touched the ground. Smiling at her glaze eyed, dazed expression, Daniel brush her hair behind her ear and grasping her hand, walked from the room pulling her along behind him. "We should drop the babies by the nursery on our way down."

Pressing her hands to her flushed cheeks, Vala tried to clear her pleasure fogged brain. "Yes darling. Although I hate to wake them, it took me nearly an hour to get them to sleep."

"Yes, Walter. What is it?" Landry came down the stairs from his office.

"An unidentified ship has been detected in orbit, sir. They are asking to open communications." Walter twisted around to look up at the General for permission when Teal'c and Cam came sprinting into the room.

"What's up?" Cam stood directly behind the technician, looking down into the 'Gate room, noting there was no activity there, he turned to Landry.

"Open the communications, Chief."

Daniel and Vala bounded into the room as the small screen flicked to life.

"General Landry, it s good to see you. We find ourselves in an awkward position and are in need of assistance. Would it be possible for us to land so that we may speak with you in person? Our beaming capabilities are not functional at this time."

Complete silence reined for a full minute before Daniel found his voice. "Commander Heimdall?"

"Yes, Dr. Jackson." Heimdall blinked and cocked his head to the side, confused by the strange actions, or lack there of, of the Tau'ri.

"Um, well." Daniel turned to Landry, not knowing what to do. Vala was gripping his hand and forearm. He could feel the tension in her body as it pressed into his side. He unconsciously rubbed the small of her back in a calming motion.

Landry leaned in close to the screen. "As far as landing, I'm afraid you will have to go to the Alpha site. We can meet you there."

Heimdall nodded. "Thank you, General Landry."

"Walter, send them the coordinates and then inform the Alpha site." Landry watched the screen, his mind whirling with what ifs.

"Yes, sir." Walter busily set about transmitting the information.

Landry nodded and headed back towards the stairs. "Get Carolyn up here, then join me in the briefing room."

Coming up the stairs into the briefing room, the team gathered around the table as General Landry hung up the red phone.

"Where are Jack and Samantha?" Vala looked around, just noticing the missing pair.

"They are already on the Alpha site with Frigg and Frey, having a play-day outside." Landry didn't sit as he came up to the table.

"What do you think, sir?" Cam looked between Daniel and the General. "Could they really be Asgard or something else?"

"Well, the only way to find out is to meet them." Daniel looked pointedly at Landry.

"I suggest we get a move on, we need to get to the Alpha site before them. You've got thirty minutes to meet in the 'Gate room." Landry turned as Carolyn rushed into the meeting room.

"Mitchell, fill Carolyn in on what's going on." He looked to Carolyn. "I want you to come with us."

"What about the babies?" Vala's nervous voice pulled him away from watching as Carolyn's gaze sought out Mitchell's.

Turning to look at the group, Landry thought for a moment. "Let's leave them here, at least for now."

**End Chapter**


	13. In the Way of Family

Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**In the Way of Family**

**childofspacegypsy1**

**xxxxxx**

Sam leaned back in the lawn chair, watching as Jack chased a squealing Frey across the grassy shore before sweeping him up and careening back into the shallows of the lake.

"Momma!" Sam looked down the length of the chair to where Frigg had pulled herself to stand. The little girl walked along the side of the chair, one hand grasping it in support, the other gripping a bouquet of weeds. Grass included.

Smiling down at her daughter, Sam reached for the digital camera lying on top of the cooler.

Click. Flash.

Suddenly cold water dripped along her stomach and chest, causing her to start and loosen her hold on the camera.

Jack grinned evilly at Sam. Looking at the picture still on the view screen, he laughed out loud at the sight if his daughter. Grinning, all gums, she stood wearing only her frilly, cherry covered bikini. One hand on the chair, the other brandishing her prize bouquet. Setting the camera back down, Jack placed his hands on the arms of the chair on either side of Sam and leaned in…

Two things happened then. First was a very cold, very wet little body clambered up Sam's lap and into the space between his parent's chests exclaiming, "Momma Swim!! Swim!!"

The second was something was pulling on the bottom of Jack's swim trunks, nearly exposing his backside. Looking down Jack met the toothless grin of Frigg before sweeping her up and bounding off towards the water, followed closely by Sam and Frey.

The sounds of happy laughter and excited squeals filled the air, drowning out the voice on the radio peeking out from under the pile of towels.

Not much later, Jack and Sam gathered up their bags. Jack had a sleeping Frigg on his shoulder; Sam carried their stuff as Frey ran/walked in front of them up the hill. Hand in hand they made their way back towards the Alpha site. Reaching the top of the hill they froze and unbelieving, stared.

"Dadda, whats tat?" Frey looked up blinking his dark eyes. Seeing the expressions on their faces he took a step back, leaning against his fathers legs as his parents tore their eyes from the eerily familiar ship, meeting each others apprehensive gazes.

**xxxxxx**

_Inside the Alpha Base_

The group sat around the table, waiting impatiently for Dr. Lam and General Landry to return with the test results. Waiting to see if that really was the last of the Asgard, sitting a few floors down. Heimdall had said that he and a crew of 17 others had survived the attack at the super gate.

Daniel sat watching Vala as she wrung her hands, eyes darting nervously from side to side. He could sense the wheels turning in her overactive mind. Knew all the thoughts and possibilities running around, knew because his mind was running the same course.

"Somebody want to tell me what the _hell_ is goin on!?" Jack's angry voice burst into the room moments before he and Sam came through the doorway wearing BDU's, still wet and unkempt from their day at the lake. Sam's bathing suit ties poked out of the neck of her shirt. They both looked expectantly around the table.

Daniel grimaced, hating to have to be the one to fill them in. But before he had a chance to figure out where to start Vala's soft voice spoke up.

"It seems all the Asgard may not be gone after all." Smiling tightly she looked at Samantha. "When an unidentified ship was spotted in orbit, we opened communications. Imagine our surprise when we were faced with what appears to be Commander Heimdall."

"Oh my God." Sam sat down hard in a chair next to Vala. "I assume they are determining whether or not he is really Asgard now?"

"Indeed."

"Alright. Well that explains why we had to leave Frey and Frigg with a guard in our room." Jack sat next to Mitchell with a sigh.

"Yeah, we left the rest of the kids back at SGC." Mitchell dropped his head to the table with a groan. "The possibilities are so endless, it boggles the mind."

"Holy Hanna. If they aren't Asgard who are they, and what do they want?" Sam expressed what everyone had been sitting there pondering since this had all begun. "What if they are after the babies? How could word have gotten out?"

"What if they are the Asgard?" Daniel spoke everyone's worst fear. Silence descended.

That's how Landry and Carolyn found them. Sitting in silence. Teal'c stared off across the room. Daniel and Vala were both focused on their intertwined hands, deep in thought. Sam was intently studying the picture of Frey and Frigg she had pulled out of its hiding spot between the layers of her I.D. badge. Mitchell's head was rolling from side to side on the table. Jack was watching Sam.

Everyone jumped at the sound of Carolyn softly clearing her throat. "So, as far as I can tell, he is who he says he is."

After letting that sink in a bit, Jack spoke. "Where is he now?"

"Back on his ship, seeing to the request for supplies. I thought it would give a few minutes to clear our heads and for Dr. Jackson to see to the information he brought for them." Landry walked around to the head of the table as he spoke.

"Well, I didn't bring much. Just…I don't know…most of what they are going to want and need will have to be transferred from the Odyssey." Standing, Daniel pulled Vala up with him, still holding her hand in his. "When should we be back here?"

"One hour. Dismissed." Landry looked around for Carolyn, but held his tongue when he spied her walking out with Mitchell.

**xxxxxx**

_Onboard the Asgard vessel…_

"Commander, are they able to help us?"

"Yes, they are sending the available supplies now. Plus extra personnel to help in the repairs."

"And our people? Do they know the location of the new Asgard home world?"

"I do not know. I sensed that they were uncertain of my true identity."

"Why?"

"I do not know. I suspect they know something, but are unwilling to tell me, yet. I fear it does not bode well for our hopes of reuniting with our people."

**xxxxxx**

Sam and Vala had the locker room to themselves.

Still wearing her bathing suit under her quickly dampening BDU's, Sam had dashed in to freshen up and put on dry clothes.

After rushing the babies to the nursery and then helping Daniel gather what he could for the Asgard, Vala had ended up leaving for the Alpha base in her Pj's and Daniel's pullover sweatshirt.

As they undressed, they were both thinking how un-naturally quiet it was. Only the sounds of clothes coming off and locker doors being bumped echoed in the room where lately it had been filled with stories of babies and spit up and other parenting ups and downs. But neither had the heart to start that right now.

Vala had just pulled on her slightly altered black tank top when Sam's muffled voice drew her from her thoughts.

Sam was stuck, half way through the process of pulling her shirt over her head. "Uh, I think it's stuck on my dog-tags, can you help untangle it?"

Chuckling, Vala began trying to dislodge the snagged chain from Sam's top. Finally un-snagging it, she held the tags in her hand, away from the top as Sam finished removing it. "Thanks." Sam leaned to toss the shirt into her locker only to find herself still attached to Vala via the chain. Looking down she saw what Vala was staring at.

A white-gold, mans wedding band.

Desperately searching her mind for some explanation, Sam got her first look at Vala since getting free of her shirt. Change of subject will work. "Uh, Vala. You may want to try a different tee shirt today." Sam was waving a finger at Vala chest.

Looking down in confusion, Vala gasped when she saw the hint of a rather dark hickey peeping from the edge of the shirts altered neckline. She whirled around and began sifting through her black shirts looking for one with a high enough neckline. After about the fifth rejected shirt Sam held out one of hers to Vala.

At the door, both women stopped and simultaneously said, "Samantha…." "Vala…"

Meeting each other's eyes for a moment, they simply nodded and headed off to the briefing room.

**xxxxxx**

"Alright people, we have one major decision to make." General Landry stood at the head of the large table, looking around, feeling the nervous tension. " I don't feel it's my place to _tell_ you what to do. These are your children. That being said I would prefer for us to come to a unanimous decision about whether or not to tell Heimdall about the babies tonight."

Looking from the faces of the other parents around the table Daniel took the chance to speak. "I don't want to speak for everyone here, but I would hope that we all have the good sense to wait. I mean, come on, that would be stupid. We aren't really sure what is going on here. And neither do they. What we're already planning to tell them will be enough to process as it is."

Everyone nodded in silent consensus.

"Agreed" Landry looked at his watch, and then hit the speaker on the phone, informing the technician they were ready for Heimdall.

**xxxxxx**

_Forty-three minutes and fifty-eight seconds later…_

The group at the table had spent the last thirty minutes desperately trying to block the churning of unwanted thoughts, what ifs. But even that past time had grown cold through the silent waiting. And waiting.

Finally the echo of boots could be heard coming down the hall. Everyone straightened in their chairs, praying this wasn't another false alarm and that the steps wouldn't pass them by.

Thankfully the footsteps stopped and the door opened. The SF stood to the side, holding the door as the small grey Asgard commander came slowly walking in.

"General Landry. SG-1, it is good to see you once again." Heimdall made is way, slowly, to the chair Landry indicated and sat down.

"Still having trouble with your beaming technology?" Looking at the Asgard and being both amazed at the realization that they were not all gone, and the horror at the same thought, Carter smiled kindly.

"Yes. Though General Landry has informed me that you and Dr. Jackson may be able to offer assistance with these problems?" Blinking his large dark eyes, Heimdall again worried at the tense undercurrent coming from the group.

"Yes, yes we can. Actually I think we will be able to help you with a great deal more than that." Daniel smiled at Heimdall, realizing that no matter what personal reservations he had at the moment this 'man' was about to be informed that his entire race had committed mass suicide to avoid falling into the hands of the Ori.

**End Chapter**


	14. Everything We Have

Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 **

**Everything We Have**

**childofspacegypsy1**

**xxxxxx**

Looking down to the small stack of papers before him, Daniel took stock.

Notes on all that Heimdall and his crew had missed since the battle. And a complete list of everything the Asgard had left with them aboard the Odyssey. Minus the children.

All that was left of an entire race.

Pacing along his side of the long table, Daniel desperately plundered his mind. He shoved one hand in his pocket and the other pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to force concentration. He knew what he had to say, he just didn't know how to say it. There was no prepared speech, no right way to do this.

Watching Dr. Jackson pace with his brow furrowed in deep thought, Heimdall knew from the level of emotion displayed by the human that the news was more than likely not good.

"A lot has happened in the time since the battle at the Supergate. There is so much we have to tell you. But, the most important thing right now is that you know what took place at Orilla. The debris you came across was actually the remains of the planet. You see, taking into account the physical degeneration of the Asgard and the Ori attempts to capture Asgard technology and sway the beliefs of the planets under your protection, the High Council decided that they should destroy themselves along with their home world and all their technologies."

Daniel looked up from his pacing to meet Heimdall's large fathomless eyes.

"They are all gone? Everything? There is nothing left?" Heimdall let his mind work, trying to understand how this had come to pass. While there were many physical problems facing his race because of their cloning, they had finally defeated the Replicators, and while the Ori were a new threat, his people were surely advanced enough…

"No, they asked us to come to Orilla and upon our arrival informed us of their intentions to integrate various advanced technologies and a data base, including the complete recorded history of the Asgard, into the Odyssey. While many still didn't believe we were ready for such knowledge and technologies, they left us this as their legacy."

"_General Landry?" _A disembodied voice blared from the speaker on the phone.

Pressing the button the general replied. "Yes?"

"_The Asgard are requesting that Heimdall return to the ship, they are having difficulties with some of the repairs."_

Looking up at Heimdall, Landry waited for his response. "I will return to the ship now. If we may finish this briefing tomorrow?"

"Absolutely." Landry pressed the button again and informed the technician of Heimdall's plans.

"Heimdall, would you like me to come along and see if I be of any help?" Samantha quietly offered.

"No thank you, Colonel Carter. I will speak to my crew and…we will continue with the repairs tomorrow after our continued briefing. Perhaps you may be of assistance then?"

"Of course." Standing as Heimdall rose to leave; Sam looked around as the rest of her team also stood and watched in tense silence as the Asgard slowly walked from the room.

**xxxxxx**

_Cheyenne Mountain Complex_

For a moment Daniel simply stood and watched her. Again wondering at how, now when he looked at her, he saw Home. Family. Happiness.

His future.

Turning from the sleeping babies, Vala smiled at the sight of Daniel watching her. She knew that look and was glad to finally have that soft gaze directed at her. She had decided when he had let down that last wall, when they had both taken that first step, that she was taking this at face value. They wanted to be together, to build a family, a life together. No regrets, no uncertainties. Nothing was certain, but that was something she couldn't control. And she would not try to. He loved her, she loved him.

Her Daniel.

"I won't let them be taken from you." Walking up to stand in front of her, Daniel rested his hands on her hips and his forehead against hers.

"Daniel, you can't promise me that. I know you want to, but you can't and you shouldn't."

Letting out a frustrated groan, Daniel held onto Vala's hand as he turned and walked from the nursery to his/their bedroom. "This is all so frustrating. I have all this hostility towards Heimdall and the crew that they don't really deserve. I just told the man his entire race committed mass suicide and blew up his home, and all I can think about is how threatened I feel by him, by the possibility that he will want to take our children away."

Feeling a pleasant hitch in her chest at his natural use of the word 'our', Vala, for once knew something that Daniel didn't. Had some of her own words of wisdom to share. "That's parenthood Daniel. Welcome to it."

**xxxxxx**

Slipping silently through the darkened nursery, Cam stopped just outside the soft glow coming from the doorway.

He contemplated the woman before him, his feelings for her and his life now that she was in it.

When he had asked her to be the mother to his children he had had no idea how she would change their lives. She was the piece that made an Air Force fly-boy and his two alien children a family.

She had weaved her way into his heart and soul.

His love.

Odd thing was it hadn't happened in the way of almost kisses or stolen touches and hidden gazes. It had grown from days of picnics and tag, and nights of fairytales and bath times.

Now he just had to find the courage to hold onto it and her.

Carolyn was about as cozy as a person could get.

Curled up in the large chair, wrapped in a soft blanket and cradling a mug of hot chocolate, she listened to the soothing sound of her children's soft breathing on the monitor next to her.

The only thing missing was Cam.

Her dream come true.

Suddenly batting her eyes against the burn of welling tears, she cursed the fates that threatened to take him and the babies from her.

**xxxxxx**

_Onboard the Asgard Vessel_

"Commander Heimdall, this makes no sense. We are many decades from our final days."

"I agree. There must be something else. The Tau'ri are sending the entire database off the Odyssey first thing tomorrow. I want to be prepared to go through as much as possible before my next meeting with SG-1."

"Do you still believe they are keeping something from us?"

"Yes. It is not just this with the demise of our people, they were honestly saddened by that, but there is still something wrong. As soon as we have the database I want the majority of the crew to start going over everything starting when they uploaded it into the Odyssey and working back. I also want a program run to find any discrepancies in the files. Any removed or deleted information. I am still amazed the Council agreed to entrust them with all of this knowledge and technology, there must have been some incentive for them to do this."

"Commander, do you mistrust the Tau'ri?"

"No. I just feel they are holding something from us. We must remember they are human and react differently than us to most things."

**xxxxxx**

_Alpha Base_

Samantha Cater-O'Neill lay on her bed, watching her two children sleep and listening to the sounds of the shower.

With all of her attention on the two children sprawled out across the bed -_How can two such small bodies take up an entire queen size bed?- _ she didn't hear the shower stop or her name being called.

"Sam."

"Sam?"

"Hmm?"

Watching from the doorway, Jack was torn between the beauty of the scene before him and the need to protect Sam.

His wife.

Sam looked up to where Jack watched them from the bathroom, dripping wet and wearing only a towel. With a sly smile she rose and began to remove her clothes and heading for her own shower. Sam stopped as she slid past Jack and into the steaming bathroom. Pressed together with nothing but his damp towel and the thick steam separating them, Sam whispered into his ear. "I know you want to, because I feel the same need to protect you, but we can't. We have to see this through the hard way." Casting her eyes up through her lashes and reached past the soldier in her, to the woman, and basked in the safety of his presence.

Her husband.

Knowing she was right, Jack bottled his protective hostility away…and followed his wife into the steamy warmth of the shower.

**End Chapter**


	15. Everything They Know

Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 **

**Everything They Know**

**childofspacegypsy1**

**xxxxxx**

_Early Morning in the 'Gateroom of the SGC._

_Four families crowded around the base of the ramp. Parents shouldering bags and children in different states of sleep or rambunctious chaos. _

"_Urd! Vor! Shush!"_

"_Daniel, do you have Samantha's things?"_

"_Hoor!"_

"_Yes, Vala."_

"_Hoor!"_

_KAWOOSH._

"_Well, here goes nothing. And everything."_

**xxxxxx**

_Alpha Base._

They had transformed one of the conference rooms into a large 'family room', and everyone was gathered to eat and let the children play while they waited for Heimdall and his crew to contact them.

The Asgard core had been delivered and they were busy installing it and would meet for a briefing on what had happened in their absence and, unknown to them, to be told about and possibly meet the children. Once they were ready.

**xxxxxx**

Sam elbowed Vala and nodded for her to look over in the far corner of the room.

Gathered in a small circle stood Frey, Hoor and Vor, the three eldest of all the children. Frey was gesturing wildly with his arms and his mouth was working as fast as it could while Hoor and Vor looked on heads nodding and mouths wide in disbelief.

"And everyone thought mine would be the trouble maker." Grinning, Vala turned back to Sam. "So what are they up to now do you suppose?"

"Oh, I'm sure Frey is regaling them with the tale of seeing the Asgard ship land yesterday. He was quit impressed once he got over the shock of it. You know he was asking some pretty frightening questions for a one year old." Sam watched the group in the corner as she spoke. "It seems the older they get the quicker they are progressing."

Vala frowned and stared off into space. "I know. I am beginning to wonder if I will ever have a child that will not only grow at a normal pace, but not be smarter than me by the time they're one. Not much chance of that with Daniel's smarts though, huh?" Blinking to refocus her gaze back on the woman in front of her, Vala realized her mistake when she saw the sly grin on Sam's face. "Uh, you know…What I…You know, IF…I mean when…"

Sam's grin went from sly to knowing as she watched her friend stutter in uncertainty, for once.

"Oh, quit smirking at me _Mrs. O'Neill…"_

"Vala!" Sam's eyes were wide and nervous, but before Vala could apologize and say she was just kidding she realized Samantha wasn't looking at her, but over her shoulder.

Whirling around she spied what had her friend upset. The corner was empty and the trio was nowhere in sight.

_Across the room…_

Ishta eyed the array of food suspiciously.

Noticing the green tinge to his companions face, Teal'c startled her by leaning in close to whisper in her ear. "Are you well, Ishta?"

With a hand firmly pressed to her stomach, Ishta turned from the food laden table. "I believe Urd needs to be changed, excuse me."

Teal'c could only raise a brow as he watched her dash away with the freshly changed baby giggling in her arms.

**xxxxxx**

Heimdall and two of his crew members slowly made their way from their ship to the briefing room.

"Einar, did you bring the crystal with the missing data?" Heimdall cocked his head toward his 2IC.

"Yes. It is very curious, as it is rather old and does not seem to pertain to any technology…"

Suddenly the three small Asgard were nearly run over by a troop of SF's hurrying by, checking in all the doorways and peering through windows. Just about then lights began to flash and Dr. Jackson's voice blared from the speakers.

"Um…This is Dr. Jackson. We have a…missing persons…uh…Amber Alert situation on base. All personnel contact Major Wilson at extension 627 for further instruction…Uh, Thank You."

_Giggle. Giggle._

"Perhaps we chose a bad time to continue our briefing with SG-1." Floke looked around the now empty hallway.

While Heimdall had been to the base before, the other two crew members with him had never been on a Tau'ri base or vessel and were curiously peering around as they made their way through the now deserted hall. The only sounds were far off voices and running boots.

"I wonder if we should return to the ship." Einar looked at Floke who in turn looked to Heimdall.

Before Heimdall could respond Colonel Mitchell and Dr. Lam came running around the corner.

"AH HA!...Ah.. Oh, Heimdall, buddy. I didn't realize you guys were here. Well, I mean, I knew you were here…" Mitchell turned pleading eyes to Carolyn.

"Colonel Mitchell, if we have come at a bad time, perhaps we should return to our ship and continue the briefing at another time."

_Whisper. Giggle._

Five pairs of eyes widened, two sets nervously scanning the hallway.

"Naw. Um, naw…Carolyn, Dr. Lam, can lead ya'll to the briefing room and I'll go tell the General and the rest of the team that you are here." Mitchell pressed his back to the wall and slowly side stepped past the three Asgard, communicating to the doctor over their heads.

"Yes. Yes of course. If you will just follow me. The briefing room is right around the corner." Carolyn was nodding her head and motioning the three ahead of her.

Looking over their shoulders the trio watched as the Colonel sprinted into one of the darkened rooms they had just passed.

Crash. "DANG IT!" Crash, shatter, thud. "Ow." Cam stumbled out of the room with a hand pressed over one eye and waving to them with the other, took off down the hallway.

"Ok. If you will just follow me?" Carolyn pasted on a bit of a too bright smile and turned the corner.

"_Dr. Lam. Report to Conference room Three. Now." _Landry's voice caused the doctor to stop and bite her lip in indecision.

"Um, I will be right back." Carolyn started to back away from the baffled group. "Just wait in the briefing room, third door on the right." And she dashed around the next corner.

"When you said they had been acting strangely, I did not quite comprehend. But now I see. Something is going on here." Floke turned to the other two and they all nodded in understanding.

_Giggle. Whisper. Giggle. Giggle. _

"I believe we are being followed." Heimdall turned and eyed the empty hall behind them suspiciously.

**xxxxxx**

Walking into the conference room, Carolyn was nearly knocked down by the force of the chaos and volume of the voices, as the rest of the parents in the room argued hotly.

"For cryin' out loud, Carter! You were watching them!" Jack ran a hand through his hair.

"Carter?!" Disbelief heavy in her voice, Sam wasn't sure what upset her more, that he called her Carter or that he was blaming this on her.

"I told you it was a bad idea to bring him to work with you, he's picking up to much anyways…" Unaware of his wife's hurt, Jack ranted on, his fear and aggravation picking his words for him.

"Oh, so I was just supposed to ignore his need to grow intellectually and keep him dumber as long as I could?!" Sam's hurt was quickly turning to anger. He was the one person she thought she would never have to defend herself to.

"YES!...No." His brain finally catching up with words they were saying, Jack suddenly stood facing a nightmare as Sam's eyes turned to ice before him. The hard, cold stare he knew well. But he had rarely seen it directed at him, and certainly not since before their personal relationship had begun.

Leaning against the wall, Vala watched Daniel pacing with faintly amused boredom. "Daniel! You can't be serious."

"They managed to escape a room full of parents! I don't want my children hanging around with those little escape artists!" _Whoops. _Pacing in front of Vala, Daniel's brain was a few beats quicker than Jack's. Just not quick enough.

"Really? So I am guessing you wouldn't want _your_ children raised by one either?" Pushing away from the wall, Vala's heart began to pound. She couldn't stop the defensive retort even though she had promised herself she wouldn't do this. Wouldn't turn his careless comments into personal wars.

"Don't do that. Don't turn this around on me." Daniel stopped pacing to stand in front of Vala. She made it so hard when she turned things so it looked like he had purposely attacked her.

"No, really, Daniel. God, how disappointed you must have been when you read that I was going to be part of this with you. Ugh. You know I really wish you had made your feelings know before now." She hated the fear she felt every time they argued like this, hated how the fear made her hurt him before he could hurt her.

"Vala…_shit!" _He knew he should just apologize, it was a stupid thing to have said, but she had already walked away.

"Ishta, are you well?" Aside from her earlier hasty exit, Teal'c had noticed a change in Ishta's behavior lately and was worried.

"I told you I am fine." Ishta gritted her teeth resisting the urge to yawn, and the urge to punch something.

"If you are unwell, you can stay with the children and help the SF's while we continue the search. Your color seemed a bit off before and now your skin is pale. I am worried about you." Teal'c reached out to touch her cheek softly, but his hand was slapped away.

"Do Not Touch Me!"

Ishta's loud outburst cut through the room with a silencing bite. Seeing all the attention turned to her, she whirled away from Teal'c and stormed out of the room.

Taking advantage of the momentary silence Carolyn stepped to the front of the room. "Heimdall and two of his crew are here. I just left them at the briefing room and Cam is on the trail of our little escapees. We need to pull ourselves together…I know this is hard and scary, but we need to think about the children. If they sense our fear and nervousness it will only make this harder for them. The fact is the Asgard aren't all gone, they are here and this is something that we have to face and deal with. Now."

**xxxxxx**

Calmly and quietly, Heimdall retraced his steps back towards the corner they had just taken, Einar and Floke following curiously behind.

Frey stood still, head cocked he listened for the strange voices to continue. The silence began to make him uneasy. He turned to Hoor and Vor to see if they also noticed the eerie silence that seemed to press into his small body. He suddenly wished they were back safe and sound in the playroom with their friends and parents. The exciting adventure to spy on the beautiful ship was quickly sliding into a fearful wish to be gone from this place.

Frey's heart beat tripped from the excited cadence of earlier to a loud fear filled banging against his ribs and then seemed to stop completely in his chest as he watched the faces of his two friends morph from tense expectation to horror. Terror filled him as he slowly turned back to face the hallway in front of him.

The six small figures stood in stunned silence as they stared at each other, trying desperately to understand what they were seeing.

Unnoticed by the two groups Cam and Vala careened around the corner and nearly toppled over trying to stop from running them over. Frozen, the two teammates tilted their heads and making eye contact telepathically shared a horrified, _Ah Crap!_

**End Chapter**


	16. Don't Take My World

**Chapter 16**

**Don't Take My World**

**childofspacegypsy1**

**xxxxxx**

For the eight people standing in the hallway time had no meaning. Their minds and bodies frozen from shock.

Suddenly, sensing a familiar presence, Hoor broke from his trance and spotting Colonel Mitchell, bravely scrambled past the strangers, and into his father's arms.

"Daddy!" His exclamation, snapping everyone back to the 'here and now', sent the other two children racing towards Cam and Vala.

Heimdall finally found his voice, "Colonel Mitchell, I am confused. Who are these children? They look…_Asgard_?"

Swapping a nervous glance with Vala, Cam franticly racked his brain for something to say. "I think it's best we go to the briefing room where the others can join us. We can answer your questions there."

With a silent nod, Heimdall, Einar and Floke followed Cam and Vala back around the corner to the briefing room.

"I do believe we have found what has had the Tau'ri so…agitated these past days." Floke looked to Einar for agreement.

"Perhaps." Was all Einar felt confident to reply. He was quickly learning that things were rarely what they seemed when dealing with these Tau'ri.

**xxxxxx**

The Asgard's shock only grew as the rest of the team filed in carrying more small grey children.

Jack and Sam.

Teal'c and Ishta.

Daniel and Vala.

General Landry and Kim.

While the others clustered together at the other end, Landry seated himself at the head of the long table.

Heimdall observed the apprehensive group, noting an uncertain tension that he had never encountered with them before. His mind was busy studying each possibility before discarding it in an effort to make logical sense of what he saw.

The children had shown great curiosity and intelligence in their earlier escape and explorations, but had also appeared cautious and uncertain out of the presence of their Tau'ri parents. Now back in their comfort zone that uncertainty had disappeared.

Watching the little ones attempt to break free and move closer for a better look at the visitors, Heimdall decided they were definitely NOT clones. There were as many differences as there were similarities. Looking at them now, he thought they looked more human than Asgard.

That left the question of who these children were and how they came to be here.

All chances of a planned encounter, complete with a perfectly good explanation were now gone.

Deciding it was best to handle this himself, Landry shook his head at Daniel; who for once, looked like he wanted nothing more than to stay put with an arm protectively around Vala and their children in his lap. "Commander Heimdall, we've had some difficulty deciding the best way to tell you about the children. I'm sure their appearance is evoking a few questions in your mind."

"Indeed, General."

"Unk-Am?" Vor's soft voice barely reached Cam.

"But they are not the reason we came back from the ship…" The Asgard continued, unaware of the other conversation.

"Was a 'Lone?" Vor spoke again, her eyes still on the strange man who had skin like hers.

"Huh? Oh, clone honey." Not even turning his head Cam absently answered Vor's inquiry.

Frey, who had been listening in hopes of getting a few answers for himself, turned to his father. "Daddy? Why dey tink we're cones? Do I ha ice cream on me?"

"What?" Completely lost, Jack swung his baffled expression from his son's inspection of his clean shirt, to Sam.

Heimdall's voice cut back into the Q and A. "I assume you didn't create these children on your own?"

Before Landry could respond, Vor climbed out of Kim's arms and onto the table. "'Scuse me…Was ah clone?"

Hoor and Frey joined their comrade on the table. Sitting 'crisscross applesauce' they patiently waited to hear the answer.

Heimdall, looking somewhat uncomfortable, responded as best he knew how. "A clone is a replica of a person produced from a single DNA sequence."

Three small mouths hung open for a moment before they burst into laughter, sending their younger siblings into fit of giggling and clapping.

"Nope. Not us."

"Uh-uh. No Way."

"Tat is jus silly."

The three Asgard exchanged confused glances.

Clearing his throat, General Landry called the attention back to his position at the front of the room. "After returning from Orilla, we had a small group of scientists to going through the massive data base on the Odyssey. Nearly a year ago they came across a message addressed to General O'Neill. Once translated, it gave a 'gate address, coordinates near the 'gate and the promise of more information there. On the planet we found five stasis pods containing the ten babies and a tablet with more information."

At that, Daniel picked the tablet up from in front of him and passed it to Heimdall. Feeling Vala's hand tighten to grip his thigh, he brought his gaze to her eyes. The fear he saw festering there took him back to the last time he had seen a similar look in those silver orbs, outside the infirmary aboard the Odyssey as they prepared to inject Adria. He hated it. Hated the look, hated knowing how she felt, hated her feeling that way. Most of all, he hated not being able to do anything about it.

"Thank you." Heimdall was not unaware of the discomfort he felt coming from the couple, he looked down to study the tablet for a moment. "Perhaps it would be best if we go over this in private."

"Agreed, would you like to return to your ship or we can leave you this room…" Landry waited for Heimdall to decide.

"We will return to the ship." Heimdall stood from his seat and as his two crew members made their way to the door, approached Carter. "Colonel Carter, do you perhaps have the data crystal that is missing from the data base?"

Sam shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her eyes darting from Landry to Jack. She hated to give up the crystal; it contained all the information and medical files for the children. It just seemed wrong to hand it over.

Sensing the woman's distress, Floke slowly came up to the group. "Colonel, if we could just borrow it so that we may replace the missing information from our own database, we will return it as soon as we return."

After another moments thought, Sam slowly nodded. "I will have it brought to your ship."

**xxxxxx**

Somehow, almost as if by unspoken agreement, Sam, Vala, Carolyn and Ishta turned the opposite way from the men and headed to the commissary. The four women randomly grabbed snacks, loading their trays till they couldn't hold anymore and with a nod from Sam filed out.

Settling comfortably into the sitting area of Sam's large VIP room, they ate and chatted. Taking comfort in the food and 'safe' subjects they pursued.

"It's all a fairy tale." Sam suddenly blurted into a lull in the conversation. "It won't last if they're gone."

"What won't last? Who's gone?" Carolyn looked baffled.

Being the only one with knowledge of Sam and Jack's marriage, Vala was the only one with even a little bit of an idea of what Sam was talking about. "Samantha, I'm sure that's not true. Jack loves you."

"Jack! Loves you?!" Looking wide eyed from Sam to Vala, Carolyn desperately wanted to know what she had missed.

"Really? Well then why did it take getting the kids to make him propose?" Sam snapped angrily.

"Propose!" Carolyn nearly fell from her seat as she pounced forward in an attempt to get Sam's attention. "He proposed? Like Marriage?"

Ishta was happy for her friend and wished to offer her congratulations and assure her she did not think O'Neill would do so without love in his heart. "Samantha, I…"

"We based this whole fairy tale marriage on the kids and now they might be taken away!" Nervously fingering the rings on the chain around her neck, Sam was getting more agitated. "Then what? Huh?"

Having given up getting anyone's attention and becoming more stunned at each turn of the conversation, Carolyn could only whisper, "Married?"

Staring at Sam in shock, watching as her friend ran the rings along the chain, from one side to the other. Her eye's never leaving the traveling rings, Carolyn reached down and grabbed a Twinkie from the table and shoved it all in her mouth, chewing distractedly.

Shaking her head and blinking her eyes, Ishta pulled her gaze from the doctor's full face to Samantha's agitated one. She attempted to calmly interject again, a bit more firmly this time. " Come now, you do not…"

"Ha!" Vala was looking a bit peeved herself at this point. "You want to talk fairy tale? At least you're married! I am dating a man I'm not quite sure is dating me! At least you know where you stand, you are legally married."

"For now! Once the kids are gone Jack will run for the hills. But not before locking all this back in 'The Room.'" Sneering at the term 'The Room', Sam reached down and snatched the second Twinkie from the pack and bit it viciously in half.

Vala opened her mouth to reply, but snapped it shut when Carolyn snorted loudly.

With a sigh Carolyn flopped back in her chair. "At least you are in a relationship. I mean, I have got to be the most pathetic woman on the face of the planet! Really, who needs a wife when I'm around? I cook and clean and change diapers and everything! And do I get anything in return? NO. He doesn't even know I exist. It's my own fault."

"Well then you're the lucky one." Vala shot back. "At least you don't have the extra attachments that come with...physical...stuff to complicate things. How could I have been so stupid?!"

When both Sam and Carolyn opened their mouths to continue their own complaints, Ishta spoke up as loudly as she could with out shouting. "I'm with child."

A stunned silence descended, and then erupted into a fit of feminine squeals, laughs and even a few tears.

"Please do not tell anyone, as I have not yet shared this news with Teal'c." Ishta stepped out of the 'group hug' with a chuckle.


	17. And The Award Goes To

**And The Award Goes To…**

**childofspacegypsy1**

**xxxxxx**

After putting the kids down for a nap and leaving them in the care a nurse and two SF's, the adults once again congregated back in the briefing room.

Carolyn, Sam and Vala were all sad, uncertain and a touch desperate, worrying about the men and children who they felt on the verge of losing.

The guys on the other hand were just plain confused. They knew the women were worried about what was going on and about the children, but they didn't understand where this new tension came from. The sudden feeling of being closed off had them on edge.

Turning his head to Carolyn, Cam saw her gaze skid away from him before he could make eye contact. He opened his mouth to call her name when the door burst open and the three Asgard entered as quickly as their thin legs would carry them.

As soon as he entered the room, Heimdall began to excitedly babble in Asgard.

After a moment of awed silence Cam spoke, drawing everyone but the busily talking Asgard's attention momentarily to him. "He's wound up tighter than the girdle of a Baptist minister's wife at an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast."

Watching the small man expressing more emotion than he had ever seen from this entire race combined, Daniel, and then Vala, leaned slightly forward as if attached by an invisible string. Daniel cocked his head to the side, then squinted his eyes and pursed his lips, catching as much of the rapid fire tirade as he could.

Sam watched Jack watching Heimdall. She couldn't help the fond smile as his eyes took on a familiar glaze. Sure enough, Jack turned blank brown eyes to her, "It's like techno-babble played backwards in double-time."

Again looking towards Carolyn, Cam saw her nervously tapping her pen on the table in a quick staccato. Smiling at the familiarity of the doctor's nervous habit, he reached out and cupped her elbow.

Startled by the sudden contact, Carolyn looked down to where Cam's warm hand firmly grasped her. Then, as she watched in amazement, Cam's hand slowly slid between her arm and the table, traveling up the length of sensitive skin, till he reached her hand. Knocking the pen from her lax fingers with his own, Cam intertwined them.

Peeking up at Cam through her lashes, Carolyn watched him trying to catch some of Daniel's attempts to decipher Heimdall's speech. Suddenly, Cam glanced over his shoulder and threw her a quick smile and in one heart stopping moment she recognized the gentle warmth that was lighting his eye's when he looked at her.

She smiled back with all her heart.

Heimdall was speaking so quickly, Daniel could hardly catch one word every few seconds, and even then he had trouble translating because he had no idea what context the word had been used in.

"Enlighten…cultivate…teach?" Daniel muttered the possibilities to himself.

"What'd he say?" Cam asked Vala in stage whisper.

"Something about ascension and…gardening?" Not taking her eyes off Daniel, Vala attempted to decipher Daniel's mutterings.

"Fashion…model…produce…"

"Fashion models and vegetables?"

Cam narrowed his eyes at Vala.

Pulling up her shoulders and raising her hands palms out, Vala mouthed back, "I swear. That's what he said!"

Suddenly, Daniel leapt from his chair, sending it careening back violently. "Now wait just one damn minute!"

"That's damn right!" Jack sprung from his seat, his furious expression going blank with a blink of his eyes, and then as he cocked his head toward Daniel, confusion settled over his features. "What did he say?"

Ignoring Jack for the moment Daniel pierced Heimdall with a hard look. "What makes you think you can just take the kids and run off to the far reaches of the universe?"

"What?!" Cam and Carolyn burst out in perfect unison as they also rose from their seats.

Blinking his large eyes in puzzlement, Heimdall replied what he thought was the obvious answer. "They are ours. Our past and our future."

"Yes, well. They are 'our right now'! And…and…" Vala waved a hand about searching for words.

"That's right. You can't have them. Well, I mean, not right now…" Running out of steam, Jack's tirade dwindled out.

"Alright people. Let's settle down. We need to sit and talk about this calmly." Landry motioned for everyone to reseat themselves and did so himself.

"I do not understand…" Heimdall finally approached the table and somewhat subdued, took a seat.

With a deep sigh General Landry resigned himself to what he knew was going to be a long and emotional meeting. "I know you don't. We will attempt to discuss this as calmly as possible. I'm sure we all have a lot more to consider than we realize."

Completely bewildered, Heimdall could only focus on the one thing he found most confusing. "You do not wish us to take the children?"

"You're damn right we don't." Daniel mumbled under his breath.

"Heimdall, it is not that we intend to keep them from you; it's simply that these are children and there are many things to be considered. Not only the physical differences between you and the children, but also the emotional needs and attachments that have formed between the children and us as their adoptive parents." Ishta's speech was calm and precise while her body language and facial expression conveyed a deep emotional need for the Asgard to understand what they were all so afraid of.

Watching Ishta calmly explain their point of view to Heimdall, Teal'c felt his heart swell with pride. This beautiful, strong woman was his, had chosen to be his mate and to bear his children. He was a lucky man indeed.

"I see. You are correct that we had not considered these needs in our excitement. I do apologize, but please understand that time is of the essence for us. While we do not suffer from the more immediate degeneration the others did, it will take time to teach and train the children and to find and build a new home world." His excitement somewhat depleted, Heimdall was beginning to see what really had the Tau'ri so upset and that this was going to have a very different outcome than he had foreseen.

Considering all that had been said, The Asgard wondered if there was going to be any resolution to the growing situation. How could the children be in two places at once? How could the children emulate two races at once?

"What do you propose we do?" Floke asked softly.

People shifted in their chairs. Voices muttered under their breath. Mouths opened, then closed.

"We are going to take our time and carefully do the best we can." Kim smiled kindly at the Asgard before turning expectantly to her daughter.

Needing all their attention to focus on her, Carolyn rose to address everyone. "The first thing we all need to understand is that there are going to be a lot of compromises and sacrifices that we will have to make. It's imperative that we remember that the children's well being is paramount to anything else. They are different from us and different from you. There will be things that we cannot give, but you can…and vise versa. The children are young and still developing emotionally as well as physically. We will have to make decisions that take into account their diets and sleeping habits, their growing mental capacity and emotional attachments. Where you plan to rebuild your new home world and where you will live in the mean time will all have to be carefully considered. There are so many things we will have to agree on, but I believe you still have a lot of repairs to make on your ship correct?"

"Einar, how long until the ship is able to leave?" Heimdall looked to his head engineer.

Thinking for a few moments, Einar quickly calculated the time needed. "Well, we could be flight ready in a matter of days, but if we wish to repair all that was damaged and make the upgrades we were discussing…perhaps three 'earth' months."

Turning to General Landry, Heimdall queried, "Will three months be sufficient time to come to some agreement and better acquaint ourselves with the children?"

"I believe it will be." Landry decided to call an end to the meeting for the day to give everyone time to settle their nerves and take in all that was and soon would be.

Standing to leave, Heimdall observed the group of people moving about and communicating with each other. Suddenly he began to see what Thor had seen from the beginning and he smiled knowing the future of his people had been forever redirected by this once labeled 'primitive' race.

**Not The End….**


	18. 3 Months Later

**Three Months Later…**

**childofspacegypsy1**

**xxxxxx**

_Aboard the Asgard Vessel _

Frey, Vor, and Hoor, as well as Ullr, who had recently begun to trail the older boys, were busily working around a computer console.

Heimdall watched the toddlers, wondering at how much they had changed, even in the short time he and his crew had known them.

Their desire to learn was obvious and they had excitedly taken to the regimen and curriculum Colonel Carter, Dr. Jackson and Floke had devised. Hopefully it would keep the children on track in the Asgard's absence.

Armed with a list of planets and a ship full of supplies, the Asgard would be heading out to begin the building of a new home world.

Again, Heimdall wondered at all the planning and organizing it had taken to properly prepare for the children's futures. Such a gentle balance existed between the children's growing mental capacity and their developing emotions.

Which was why Heimdall had asked permission to come explain to the children that he and the crew would be taking their ship and leaving, but they would return as often as possible to see them and that once their parents felt they were ready each child could decide to move to the Asgard home world, returning to visit their parents at their own discretion.

**----Alpha Base----**

After laying Frigg down for her nap, Sam went to stand behind Jack, who was sitting at the table with folders of blue prints spread before him. "How was Earth? God, that is just weird to say."

Looking over his shoulder, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. "So, they okayed all these plans? We are going to be able to move to the moon permanently?"

"Yeah, once most of the construction is done. We were careful, picking things we pretty much knew they would go for." Jack shuffled through the folders till he found the one with the single family homes. "I'm just glad Daniel was in on it. He was right about everything they wouldn't allow. Plus he did most of the talking. Although, we do have to go back to earth again this week. So, what do you think about this one?"

Coming around the side of his chair, Sam sat on the arm and studied the floor plan Jack held. Turning to look her husband in the eye Sam leaned in and kissed him quickly on the lips. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For fighting for us when I had given up."

_---Flashback---_

"_Sam, what the hell's going on?" Jack had had just about enough of the cold shoulder from his wife._

_Standing with her arms folded across her middle, Sam stared mutinously at his chin, refusing to meet his eyes. _

"_Alright fine. I'll answer that." Jack yanked a chair out from the table and threw himself into it. "You, for all your brilliance, have gotten the stupid idea that I won't want to remain married to you if we lose the kids. Somehow you have convinced yourself that this has been some kind of game to me and I won't want to play anymore when our excuse is gone and there's a chance we'll get in trouble, right?"_

_Taking the slight tremble in her lips and the suspicious shine in her eyes as his answer, Jack let a few choice words escape to ping off the walls. "That's just great, Sam. For cryin' out loud, how can you even think something like that? How can you think I would…"_

_Suddenly standing, Jack strode over to where Sam stood with her head down, fat tears slowly rolling down to splat on the floor. Tipping her chin up to look in her eyes, he had to clear his throat of the thickness that tried to block his words. "I wonder, Sam, what kind of man you think I am. Aside from the fact that I love you so much it would kill me to know I had caused you any amount of pain, wasn't it me who just last week suggested we stop using birth control? I…"_

"_Damn it, Jack." Sam snatched her face from Jack's grasp. "I never thought of it that way. I guess I really didn't think…it wasn't about you. It's just that after waiting for so long I was just expecting the world to end or something."_

_Jack waited silently as Sam shook her head and turned to lean on the back of a chair. _

"_I guess I spent so many years making excuses for why we couldn't be together, somewhere along the line I started to doubt it for real. I'm sorry, Jack…"_

"_You don't have to apologize for having doubts, Sam. You're only human." Jack wrapped his arms around her waist. "I just wish you had talked to me about it. You know how in the field you never hesitated to trust me? Its second nature and you just need to learn to bring that little piece of work home with you."_

_Smirking, Sam turned in Jack's arms to look at him. "You really think I NEVER hesitated?"_

**xxxxxx**

_---Flashback---_

'_What are you doing?' Daniel thought to himself still fingering the pack of sugar pills. _

_Setting the pills down next to Vala's real birth control pack, Daniel eyed himself in the mirror. _

_This is wrong; I can't believe I'm even considering this. Staring at the two packs, Daniel came to the decision that getting Vala pregnant without her consent might not be the best way to handle his recent fear that he might lose her. _

_At Vala's insistence that she be allowed into the bathroom, pronto, Daniel turned to lock the door before she burst in and found him with the two identical pill cases on the counter. In his rush, he accidentally knocked both cases on the floor, one skittering away behind the toilet and the other landing right at Vala's feet as she stood in the now open doorway._

"_What are you doing, darling?" Vala leaned down and picked the pack up. "Where did these come from?"_

_Not knowing which pack it was or whether Vala was asking because she knew they weren't hers or because her pills were on the floor instead of in the cabinet where they belonged, Daniel simply plastered an innocent smile on his face. "Sorry, I was looking for something in the cabinet and accidentally knocked them down."_

"_Oh, well. What are we doing for supper? Going out or to the commissary?" Walking fully into the bathroom Vala placed the pack back in the cabinet and began primping in the mirror._

"_Uh, let's go out."_

**xxxxxx**

Vala stared unseeing at the small plastic device in her hands.

She was so sure she had been wrong.

How was this possible? What was she going to do?

One thing was sure; Daniel was going to be pissed.

**xxxxxx**

Standing sideways to study her figure in the full length mirror, Ishta had to admit that her new Tau'ri clothes were more comfortable, not only because of her growing belly, but they also made it easier for her to move about more freely at the SGC.

Wearing a simple black tank top and black BDU pants, she examined her visibly rounding stomach. Without looking away from her reflection, Ishta spoke to Teal'c. "The President and the IOA accepted the proposal?"

Smiling at the beauty of the woman in front of him, Teal'c told her of the new plans for the moon of the Alpha base's planet. "With a Stargate of its own, the moon has been approved as a retirement and vacation base for Stargate personnel. Many building plans were approved and SG-1 was given first choice of plots for the building of their homes."

"And you? Have you decided on a plot?" Ishta caught Teal'c's eye in the mirror.

"There is indeed a plot I would like to show you…should we decide to make our home here, though it does not have to be our permanent or only home."

Going back to the perusal of her 'baby bump', Ishta considered this a moment. "I have asked Ry'ac and Kar'yn to join me here as soon as they can. If you agree, I will tell them of my intentions to step down as leader of the Hak'tyl."

Coming to stand directly behind Ishta, Teal'c placed his hands over hers on the swell of child. "You wish to leave the Hak'tyl?"

"Not entirely. In this time of peace I feel justified in taking a less active roll in their day to day life, to build one with you, here." Letting her head drop back, Ishta let it rest on Teal'c's strong shoulders.

**xxxxxx**

**---Earth---**

Coming out of Victoria Secret, swinging the bright pink striped bag and whistling the Simpson's, Jack spied Hank Landry heading his way. Unsure if the man had spotted him or not, Jack considered slipping back into the store to avoid having to stop and chat but froze when he saw a familiar head pop out of the side exit of one of the malls two jewelry stores, the jewelry store right across from him, the one Landry was headed right for.

Interesting.

As Jack watched, Cam popped his head back in for a moment, then pressed himself against the wall a'la mission impossible before suddenly darting across the walkway to the other jewelry store next door to the Victoria Secret.

Unbeknown to Cam as he had darted across, Jack watched Hank spy the young Colonel and duck behind a column. Peeking out of the second jewelry store Cam could no longer see the General and thinking he had gotten away without being seen went merrily back to browsing the jewelry counter.

Just when Jack thought the show was over, Landry popped back out from behind the column and thinking Cam was gone, continued his march into the first jewelry store.

Chuckling to himself, Jack waltzed out of the mall and put on his sunglasses. Scanning the parking lot once before heading to his car, Jack's military training stopped him as he noticed another interesting character lurking in the shadows of a column outside the drugstore catty cornered in the mall lot.

Watching in amazement, Jack couldn't believe his luck as Vala, clad in a long tan trench coat, dark sunglasses, and a scarf, darted out of the shadows. Clutching a small brown bag, she climbed into the back of a black SUV that soon drove out of the lot and headed down the highway towards base.

Standing in the parking lot, mouth hanging open, Jack blinked a few times before shaking his head and going to his car thinking; Sam is never going to believe this.

**xxxxxx**

**---Alpha Base--- **

Leaving the two nurses to finish their cleanup, Carolyn walked into her office and picking up the base phone, dialed the extension by heart.

Getting the voice mail, she put the receiver back on its base and chewing her lip fingered her cell phone.

Before she could decide whether or not to make the call, the object of her thoughts sauntered through the door to her office.

"Well, hello darlin'." Cam leaned casually in the doorway.

Blushing furiously for no reason at all, Carolyn smiled up at Cam. "What are you doing here?"

"Just came by to see if I could walk my girl to class." Stepping closer and into Carolyn's personal space, Cam brushed a finger over her flushed cheek.

Before Carolyn could answer, they were distracted by the soft giggling of the two nurses. Looking over his shoulder, Cam saw the nurses turning quickly back to their work, with a cocky grin and a wink he pulled the blinds shut, leaving the door open but impeding any further spying.

Out in the main room of the infirmary the two nurses where still chuckling to themselves when a commanding voice from behind nearly had them dropping the equipment they were straightening.

"Excuse me ladies, is Dr. Lam in her office?" Landry wondered at the duo's jumpiness but before he could question them further a sound from Carolyn's office had him turning and narrowing his eyes.

Having heard the General's voice, Cam and Carolyn quickly exited her office.

Cough. "Uh, thanks again Doc. See you later…at the meeting." With a nod to Landry, Cam made his escape. "General."

"Colonel." Hank returned Cam's nod before turning back to his daughter. As Hank watched, Carolyn smiled dreamily at the colonel's retreating back until he reached the doors and turned back to rake her from top to bottom with a hungry gaze that caused Carolyn to blush.

Looking from the now empty doorway to her father, Carolyn met the surprised raising of both his brows with a challenging raise of both of her own, ignoring the fact that her face was still flushed.

Clearing his throat, Landry decided to store that away for later consideration. "Carolyn, I need to speak to you in private for just a moment."

"Sure thing. Let's go to my office." Following her father back across the infirmary towards her private office Carolyn was stopped short when Vala burst through the main doors of the infirmary.

Nott on one hip and waving two objects with her free hand, Vala didn't wait a moment before venting her frustrations at the doctor. "Carolyn, we need to talk."

Looking apologetically back at her father, Carolyn replied. "About what, Vala?"

"About your faulty medicines. They don't work." Approaching the pair, Vala turned to the general. "Grandpa Hank, would you mind watching Nott for a moment? I desperately need to see Carolyn."

Opening his mouth to let Vala have it for her interruption and assuming he would just take the child for her, Hank stopped as he noticed the real worry and fear in Vala's eyes. "I suppose I could take her to see Kim for a bit."

"Thank you, General. I owe you one." Handing the child to Landry, Vala didn't miss a beat in grabbing Carolyn's arm and dragging her towards the office.

**xxxxxx**

Vala stood in the hallway just outside the infirmary with her hands hanging limply at her sides, face blank.

Unlike her outward appearance, Vala's mind was swirling with enough thoughts and feelings that she felt sick. Or maybe that was the morning sickness.

Shaking her head dizzily, she slowly started to move, making her way forward, no destination in mind.

Someone had switched her pills?

Daniel?

Baby.

Oh Gods, a baby.

Suddenly anger swelled up overwhelming everything else. _How dare he? What was he thinking?_

Now moving with purpose, a destination firmly in her mind, Vala mashed the elevator button with enough force to break her fingernail.

Standing alone in the cold elevator she wrapped her arms around herself and trembling slightly, felt her eyes widen as the fear crept stealthily up and overwhelmed her.

Exiting the elevator, Vala stopped a few steps away and turned back, heading away from 'their office'. _Did he do it because he thought she would run and a baby would make her stay?_

_But that means he wants you to stay._ Slowly turning, Vala cautiously approached the office doors.

_He had no right!_ Hands fisting at her sides, she turned away only to turn back at the sound of Daniel's voice.

"Vala?"

All she could do was stare wide eyed at Daniel as he moved out of the office doorway and into the corridor, unsure of his motives, unsure of how to proceed.

Watching Vala watching him, Daniel suddenly realized what was wrong. She knew.

Taking a step forward he cringed as she took one back. "Where's Nott?"

"With Kim and Landry." Unable to look at him and still keep her composure any longer, Vala looked down at her feet just long enough for Daniel to move close enough to grasp her hand.

"Vala please…"

"I just…I just need to know why." Not ready to see his face yet, Vala studied their intertwined hands.

Knowing his life hung in the balance, Daniel answered the only way he knew how. Honestly. "I panicked. I'm so sorry, Vala. I meant to switch them back, I know it was stupid to try and trap you, to make you stay."

Her worst fears confirmed Vala felt her insides shatter and tried to pry her hand from Daniel's.

"Vala…listen." Daniel reached out with his other hand to pull Vala closer.

Shaking her head violently, Vala was too overwhelmed by pain to put up more than a token effort to get away.

Tipping her chin up to look into her eyes, Daniel's insides flinched at the pain shimmering in the silver.

She could only stare wide eyed at the wet shine pooling in Daniels own eyes.

Smiling sadly at her, Daniel wrapped a hand in her hair and drew her up against his body and wrapped the other arm around her so tight Vala could do nothing but return the embrace by wrapping her own arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.

Nearly overwhelmed with feelings, Daniel tried to explain. "Me, Vala. Not you, I was scared of me. You see, I have this habit of losing the people I love."

Shaking her head no, Vala shifted to speak but Daniel stopped her. "You know you can't promise me that."

Burying his face in her hair, Daniel suddenly realized what all this meant. "Vala?"

"Hhmm?"

"Are you…are we having a baby?"

Vala could only nod her head and smile into Daniel's chest.

Pulling away enough to look into each others faces, Vala laughed as she wiped the tears from Daniel's face. "I love you."

"I love you too." Leaning in to kiss her, Daniel was stopped short by Jack's loud voice coming from down the hall.

"Oh come on, this is a military base you know." Smiling cheekily at Daniel, Jack had an arm slung over Sam's shoulders as they approached the other couple.

"Jack."

"Daniel."

"Sam." Vala grinned impishly.

"Vala." Sam laughingly replied.

Shaking his head and looking away from the two women, Jack frowned quizzically at Daniel. "You been crying spacemonkey?"

Daniel was saved having to reply by Sam.

Sniffing softly and crinkling her nose, Sam eyed Daniel. "Is that coffee I smell?"

"Well, yes. I have been known to drink it occasionally." Daniel looked at Sam questioningly.

Slapping her hand over her mouth a very green Samantha Carter darted into Daniel's office and made use of his small trash can.

Hands in his pocket, Jack considered going to help his wife, but remembering doing so the previous day and the following dressing down, he turned back to Daniel and Vala. "So, did you hear the meeting was canceled?"

"No, why?"

Heimdall commed and asked if he could take the kids out on the ship for the day to spend some quality time before they leave. Speaking of kids where are yours?" Jack looked around as if expecting them to appear.

"Oh, Nott is with Kim and Landry. I should probably go by and pick her up." Turning her face up to Daniel, Vala smiled and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "How about lunch when I get back?"

"Sure. Darg is taking a nap in the office, so as soon as he wakes up we'll go."

"Was taking a nap." A sheepish looking Sam came out of the office carrying a wide eyed Darg. "Sorry, I woke him up and I think you're going to need a new trash can."

Daniel took Darg from Sam and propped the boy on his hip.

Vala looked at Sam with concern. "Are you alright, Samantha?"

"Yeah. I just…" Sam cut her eyes up at Jack and getting a positive nod from him smiled happily at her friends. "It's…I mean I…uh…"

"What the genius is trying to say is that I knocked her up." Jack rocked back on his heals and smiled cockily as he watched Daniel and Vala's faces transform with shock.

Vala was the first to recover and reaching out to hug her friend, suddenly stopped and instead reached for Sam's hand. "Samantha, when did you get married?!"

"Married?!" Daniel looked shocked for a moment more, and then burst out laughing as he grabbed Jack and gave him a fierce hug. "Congratulations!"

After a round of hugs and congratulations died down, Vala turned to Daniel and Darg. "Well, I guess I had better go round up sissy. Meet you in the commissary?"

"Actually I'll come with you and we can all go together." Looking to Sam and Jack, Daniel asked if they wanted to join them for lunch to celebrate.

"Sure. That is if Sam's up for it." He looked questioningly at his wife.

"Sounds good to me."

**xxxxxx**

"So, you are telling me two members of my team are on medical stand-down. But you can't tell me why?" Leaning back to rest his six on Carolyn's desk, Cam looked down on the doctor's impassive face.

"Cam, I will give you the full report when I deem it necessary. Right now all you need to know is that these two team members are not cleared for active duty at this time." Carolyn struggled to keep her face blank, knowing how easily Cam could wheedle information from her.

"Uh-huh. And these two members just happen to be female by coincidence, right?" He cocked a brow in disbelief.

"Cameron Mitchell! Was that a sexist remark?!" Carolyn rose to stand face to face, well face to chest with Cam.

Smiling warmly down at her, Cam brushed a finger across her brow. "Heck no, darlin'. I was just puttin' two and two together and comin' up with six."

"Hmph. Well, wonder all you want, flyboy." Clearing away files off her desk, Carolyn knocked a stack of pill cases on the floor.

After bending down to retrieve the cases, Cam handed them back to Carolyn with a questioning look.

"Oh, I was explaining to Vala the difference between her birth control pills and these placebo pills. She came in here blaming the pills…." Carolyn slapped a hand over her mouth and glared at Cam.

"So, the princess is in a family way, huh?" Cam couldn't help laughing at how cute Carolyn looked when she was flustered. He liked knowing he was the only one who could get her like this.

"It's not my place to tell you, Cam. They both have a grace period before they have to disclose the details of their…conditions."

Pulling her to stand between his legs, Cam placed both of his hands on either side of Carolyn's face. "You know how much I love you, right?"

Carolyn draped her forearms over Cam's shoulders and leaned into him. "Only about as much as I love you."

"Now, that's good to hear." Sliding his hands from Carolyn's face to her shoulders, he moved her back and down till she was back in her chair. "You know I was trying to plan a romantic evening for us, but as I was working out the logistics; baby sitter with the right clearance, picking up our oldest from his trip on a space ship and then Gating to earth and back again later…well, I realized that none of the ordinary shoes were gonna fit us, you know?"

Smiling fondly up at Cam, Carolyn had no idea what he was talking about. But he sure was adorable to watch.

"So here it is." Cam dropped down on one knee by Carolyn's chair and looking at her beautiful face, smiled when said face told him exactly when she figured out what he was doing. Popping open the little black box, he cleared his throat and tried to blink away the prickling in his eyes.

"Carolyn, will you marry me?"

**xxxxxx**

Navigating his wife over to the table where Daniel, Vala, Sam and Jack sat with their kids, Teal'c nodded his hello.

Smiling her thanks as Jack pulled up a chair for her; Ishta sat with a grateful sigh. "Thank you…Jack. I hope you do not mind us joining you?"

"'Course not. Just having a late lunch, more like a snack actually." Jack waved a hand over the conglomeration of food piled on plates lining the table.

"I am glad to have found you all together. General Landry asked that I let you know that he has planned for all of us to dine together this evening." Pulling another chair around, Teal'c sat near his wife.

"Really? I wonder where we will all fit." Vala crunched on a carrot. "What time is this shin-dig?"

"Hey, that's my line." A smiling Cam came up to stand at the end of the table.

"1900 hours." Teal'c looked to Cam. "Do you perhaps know where Dr. Lam is?"

"Sure do. Just left her finishing up a few things in the infirmary, why?"

"GeneralLandry wishes for us to meet in the briefing room." Ishta replied to Vala's first question.

"I'll make sure she's there. Well, I gotta run. See ya'll tonight." Everyone watched Cam leave wondering at his silly grin and bouncy exit.

_1900 Hours _

The chaos was indescribable.

Landry had ordered take-out Gated over from earth and Heimdall had beamed the older children back shortly after the others had arrived.

Looking around the room, there were children running and crawling and in-between. Laughter and chatter and conversation were interrupted only by the occasional shout or scream.

In the hours that followed, food was eaten, announcements were made, congratulations were given and futures were discussed.

Walking Kim back to their quarters that night, Hank was deep in thought.

Reaching the door, Kim stepped inside and once the door was closed, leaned back against it. "Penny for your thoughts."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Hank patted the spot next to him indicating he wanted Kim to join him.

"You know, watching everyone tonight made me think of how much I missed when Carolyn was growing up." Staring off into space, Hank had to blink and bring himself back to the moment. "I missed a lot of things in our marriage too. And I'm sorry for that Kim. I realize now, I could have tried harder. Found ways to be there for you and Carolyn."

"I think we both could have tried a little harder. I know I didn't make it easy for you and I certainly could have been more understanding, and patient."

Smiling at her, Hank decided to forego waiting till he could plan a romantic evening. Now was the perfect moment for what he had to ask.

"Wait here." Getting up, he crossed the room pull something from a drawer of his dresser, before coming back to sit next to Kim.

"I know we wasted a lot of time, both during our marriage and in the years after. But, if you're willing to give us both another chance," he heard Kim gasp as he popped open the small black box containing her original engagement ring reset and with two smaller side diamonds, "I'd be honored if you'd agree to be my wife, again."

**xxxxxx**

As the Alpha base switched from dayshift to night, lights were turned off, personnel were sparse, and the halls were quiet. Parents tucked in their children, turning on night lights and leaving them to dreams of space ships and intergalactic adventures.

**xxxxxx**

The nightshift nurse walked through the quiet infirmary carrying a small stack of files. Placing them on the doctor's desk she turned to leave, accidentally knocking a small stack of pill cases to the floor along with the doctor's purse.

Turning back, she bent and picked up the purse and three cases. Opening one and finding it partially empty; she placed it and the matching full case in the purse before carrying the last case out with her.

And the universe smiled.

**THE END**


End file.
